Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SCOOBA – Northwest clinched a first-round playoff berth on Friday at 5th-ranked East Mississippi, winning the opener 4-2 on Taylor King's two-run home run in the 10th before dropping an 8-2 decision in the nightcap. 

With the split, Northwest moved to 7-5 against ranked opponents this season and has won 15 of its last 20 games overall. The Rangers are now 26-14 overall and 14-8 in the north with one division doubleheader left against Itawamba. EMCC moved to 28-10 overall and 15-5 in the north.

In a stellar pitcher's duel in the opener, Northwest's Domenick Carlini and EMCC's Joshua Griffis each went eight-plus innings and threw over 120 pitches before leaving in a 2-2 ballgame.

Northwest stranded nine baserunners in the game, including the bases loaded in the ninth, but got some redemption in the 10th. With one out and one on, King ripped a 1-0 pitch over the monster in left field for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning two-run home run. 

Tyler Scholl, who tossed 2.0 innings of scoreless and hitless relief, picked up his first career win. Carlini scattered eight hits, two runs and eight strikeouts in a no-decision. He moved into a tie for fourth on the all-time strikeout list with 117 career punchouts.  

Northwest jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first in Game 2 on an RBI-error and Kramer Hollenbach sac fly before EMCC responded with two in the bottom half on a sac fly and wild pitch to knot it at 2-2 after one. 

The Lions would pull ahead for good in the third thanks to several Ranger miscues, scoring three unearned runs off two errors and a wild pitch for a 5-2 lead.

EMCC added a single run in the fourth and two in the fifth for an 8-2 lead. 

Northwest was held to just two hits over the final five innings thanks to strong pitching from EMCC's J'Daylin Jackson (7-1) and Conner Burton who combined for six strikeouts.

Cody Waddell (4-2) scattered four hits, eight runs (five earned) and five strikeouts in the loss while Colin Liles allowed just one hit with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings of scoreless relief.

Three streaks were extended in the split, with Hollenbach stretching his reached base streak to 36 games, James Lear stretching his to 20 and Jay King extending his career-long hit streak to 15 games.

Northwest will close out the regular season at home next week, hosting Co-Lin on Wednesday, April 23 at 3 p.m. and Itawamba on Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m. Live video and live stats will be available vs Co-Lin and live audio and stats will be available vs ICC.