Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SENATOBIA – In a matchup of last season's north division champion in Northeast and runner-up Northwest, this year's division opener for both teams did not disappoint. The team's split a pair Wednesday at Jim Miles Field, with the Rangers winning the opener 2-0 and the Tigers bouncing back to win the nightcap 2-1.

Both ranked in the NJCAA Top 20 poll, No. 13 Northwest moved to 10-6 overall and 1-1 in the north while No. 19 Northeast moved to 8-8 overall and 1-1 in division play. 

Tanner Densford's RBI-single to right-center in the second inning of Game 1 turned out to be the game-winning hit, scoring Stephen Sexton after he reached on a one-out walk.

Hunter Austin hit a two-out single to left an inning later to score Luke Latham, giving the Rangers a 2-0 win.

Matt Ferguson improved to 2-2 on the year with a four-hit shutout. 

Missed opportunities was the theme in Game 2, with both the Rangers and Tigers stranding 10 baserunners. Northwest had the bases loaded with no outs in both the sixth and eighth innings, but managed to score just one run. 

Northeast struck first in its opening at-bat, as Cody Bo Dillard hit a two-out single to right to score Heath Wood to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead that held true into the sixth inning.

Northwest found the tying run in the bottom half of the sixth on James Clark's fielder's choice that scored James Lear, but squandered a chance to plate the go-ahead run. The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs before Tyler Nelms came on in relief of Ethan Taylor and struck out the side. 

Needing extra innings after a scoreless seventh, Northeast used Josh Peterson's sac fly to left to plate the go-ahead run in the eighth that scored Easton Hall after a leadoff hit-by-pitch.

Once again Northwest loaded the bases in its half of the eighth and had the winning run at second base, but Tyler Cox came on in relief of Evan Hickman and struck out the side. Kramer Hollenbach, Chase Clark and Taylor King all reached base safely to start the inning before back-to-back-to-back strikeouts swinging saved the game for Cox and the Tigers.   

Tanner Cable tossed six solid innings in a no-decision, scattering six hits, six strikeouts and just one run. J.R. Miller (2-1) was hit with the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth before Colin Liles and Tyler Scholl closed it out.

The teams combined for 26 hits in the two games, all singles, as pitching and defense stole the show.

Northwest will host Holmes on Friday at 2 p.m., a doubleheader moved up a day due to approaching weather.

Follow along with live stats here: sidearmstats.com/northwestms/baseball.