SENATOBIA – Northwest kept a half game lead over Itawamba in the north division standings with a split against East Mississippi on Sunday, winning 8-0 (5 inn.) in the opener behind Kiley Dunagan's no-hitter before a four-error game in the nightcap led to a 7-6 loss.

Northwest moved to 14-4 overall and 10-2 in the division while EMCC moved to 9-14 overall and 7-6 in the north.

The Rangers out-hit the Lady Lions 9-0 in the opener, scoring three quick runs in the first inning and never looking back.

Northwest added two runs in the third and three more in the fourth for a 5-inning run-rule win.

Brittany Rochelle, Kendall Alford, Micalah Beall and Ashton Needham were 9-for-11 with four runs and five RBIs.

Dunagan (4-1) went the distance, scattering seven strikeouts and three walks on 89 pitches.

In the nightcap, the two teams traded runs over the first three innings and were tied 3-3. 

EMCC pulled back ahead 4-3 in the fourth, scoring M. Landrum from second on Pepper Baker's sac bunt attempt that forced a wild throw from the pitcher.

Northwest would respond with three runs in the bottom half to pull ahead 6-4, using Alford's two-run triple to right field. She would score on the same play after an errant throw from the outfield.

EMCC got a run back in the fifth on a sac fly and pulled back ahead in the sixth, 7-6, on RBI-singles from Heather Abney and Anna McCrary.  

Northwest went down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings to allow EMCC to earn the split.

Mary Ware tossed three innings of two-hit ball in relief to earn her first collegiate win. Beall (2-1) allowed six runs (two earned) off four hits in 3.1 innings to take the loss.

Northwest finished with 10 hits, led by Alford's three and two each from Rochelle, Heath Griffith and Erin Claire Stegall. Rochelle's first inning single extended her season-long hit streak to 15 games.

Weather permitting, Northwest is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, March 31 at Itawamba at 12:30 p.m.