BOONEVILLE – Needing just one win at Northeast to clinch a share of its first MACJC North Division Championship since 2009, Northwest did just that, rallying for a 6-0 Game 2 win in a rain-shortened five innings to clinch the No. 1 seed in this weekend's state playoffs.

Northwest improved to 26-8 overall and 19-5 in the division while Northeast moved to 18-15-1 and 15-9 in the division. The two teams split the season series 2-2.

After getting run-ruled 8-0 in five innings in the opener behind a one-hit shutout by Alyssa Vanlandingham, Northwest regrouped in between games and came out and blanked the Lady Tigers in return in five innings.

Kiley Dunagan scattered five hits, no runs, eight strikeouts and three walks to improve to 9-2 in the circle, stranding eight Lady Tigers on base thanks to timely strikeouts and solid defense behind her.

Scoreless after the first, Heath Griffith's RBI-double to left scored pinch runner Bree Thompson for a 1-0 lead. Erin Claire Stegall followed with an RBI-single to left to score Griffith, making it 2-0 Rangers after two.

Olivia Owen's two-out RBI-single to left scored Carla Avant to make it 3-0 in the fourth and Northwest plated three more in the fifth on a Brittany Rochelle bunt single, Janie Turner sac bunt and ensuing wild pitch.

Dunagan then shut the door in the bottom of the fifth with bad weather approaching, forcing back-to-back flyouts and striking out Whitney Gee looking to clinch the victory.

Northwest will host Pearl River for a second consecutive postseason, the south's No. 4 seed, on Sunday-Monday, April 26-27 in a best-of-3 series. Live stats will be available at www.sidearmstats.com/northwestms/softball for each game.

Game 1/2: Sunday, 1/3 p.m.
Game 3: Monday, 1 p.m. (if necessary)