Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FULTON – Playing its first division games on the road on Saturday at Itawamba, Northwest used a combined six-hit shutout to win the opener 4-0 before dropping a 6-2 decision in the finale to split with the Lady Indians. 

Northwest moved to 10-5 overall and 5-1 in the north while ICC moved to 10-7 and 3-1.

Scoreless through four innings in Game 1, the Rangers caught a break in the fifth on an obstruction call. Itawamba got what appeared to be the final out of the inning on a play at the plate tagging out Alyssa Dean, but the base umpire called interference and allowed the inning to continue. Northwest went on to plate three in the inning, capped by Roxanna Kimes' two-run single. 

Northwest tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Kendall Alford led off the inning with a double and pinch runner Tori Turnipseed scored a batter later on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Barrett. 

Kiley Dunagan, Micalah Beall and Lindsey Shaw threw a combined six-hitter to help the Rangers to the 4-0 victory, their third consecutive shutout win in Fulton.

Itawamba went up 2-0 after one in Game 2 and quickly jumped ahead 6-1 after three complete.

The runs given up in the first were the first Northwest had allowed to Itawamba in 25 innings dating back to Game 2 in Senatobia on March 14, 2013.  

Northwest got a single run back in the fourth before eventually falling 6-2. 

Northwest will return home on Monday, March 10, playing host to Jackson State at 1 p.m. in a makeup doubleheader. Live stats will be available at www.sidearmstats.com/northwestms/softball.