SENATOBIA – In a matchup between a pair of top 20 teams on Saturday afternoon at Jim Miles Field, freshman Clay Casey hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to lift Northwest to a 3-2 win in the opener before Jones County rallied in extra innings in the finale to win 6-4 and split a doubleheader.

Northwest moved to 12-6 overall and 6-2 in MACJC play while the Bobcats moved to 16-8 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

The Rangers combined for 21 hits in the split, five extra-base, led by Casey, Dalton Dulin and Stephen Sexton with four apiece. 

(Game 1) Carter Polles' solo home run to left gave JCJC a 1-0 lead in the third and Tyler Schankin added an RBI-single to left in the sixth to make it a 2-0 lead after six for the visitors.

Bobcat starter Christian Dale tossed 7.1 innings of shutout baseball with five strikeouts and had a 2-0 lead before he was relieved by left-hander Will Brand with one out in the bottom of the eighth.

Casey welcomed Brand to the game with a towering three-run shot to left on the first pitch he saw, giving Northwest a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win. It marked Casey's second game-winner in four days at Jim Miles Field.

J.G. Lipscomb, who came on in relief of Colt Smith to start the seventh, tossed three shutout innings while allowing just two hits to earn his first collegiate win on the mound. 

JCJC out-hit Northwest 11-8, but the Rangers' 3-through-7 hitters finished 8-for-15 and were responsible for all three runs.

(Game 2) Tied 1-1 after two, Polles' two-run triple to left in the third and Chris Morgan's RBI-double to right in the fourth gave JCJC a 4-2 lead after four complete.

But the Rangers would slowly chip away at the lead over the ensuing three innings, with Cody Cooper smashing a solo home run to left off the scoreboard in the fifth and Sexton adding a solo homer in the sixth to cut the deficit to 4-3.

LeeMarcus Boyd's leadoff single in the seventh put the tying run on. After Stuart Chick's sac bunt moved Boyd to second, he later stole third and then scored to tie it at 4-4 off James Clark's RBI-fielder's choice.

In extra innings, JCJC plated two runs in the eighth, both with two outs. Chris Richardson and Daniel Goff both had RBI-singles to give the Bobcats a 6-4 lead.

Northwest had runners at first and third with two outs in the eighth after singles by Sexton and Boyd, but Boyd was thrown out a second a batter later to end the game.

Goff improved to 6-0 with the win for JCJC in seven innings of work, scattering 11 hits and eight strikeouts. Tyler Schwaner earned his first save of the year. Colin Liles (2-2) was the hard-luck losing pitcher, allowing both runs in the eighth after four scoreless innings of relief prior.

Northwest out-hit JCJC 13-9, led by Sexton's 4-for-4 afternoon. Boyd, Chick and Casey also had two hits each.

Weather permitting, Northwest will host Jackson State CC in a single, 9-inning game on Monday, March 23 at 6 p.m.