GOODMAN – Northwest head baseball coach Mark Carson notched a milestone 300th career victory on Wednesday as the Rangers split an MACJC doubleheader at Holmes, winning 12-3 in Game 1 and falling 8-4 in the nightcap.

Northwest moved to 9-7 on the season and 1-3 in MACJC play, while Holmes moved to 10-8 overall and 1-1 in the conference slate.

(Game 1) A combined total of eight runs scored over the first four innings of play helped lift Northwest to the dominant 12-3 victory. 

Northwest got the scoring started in the top of the second inning when Aaron Campbell scored off a sac fly to centerfield from David Herrington. Tanner Lloyd followed with a solo home run to extend the Rangers' lead to 2-0.

Campbell got the third inning started on the right note in the tune of a two-run homer to left field to increase the Rangers' lead to 4-0. Northwest kept the runs coming in the fourth, as three RBIs and a wild pitch resulted in four more runs for the Rangers.

Holmes finally struck in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-single from Tyler Hines. The Bulldogs drove in two more runs over the next two innings but Northwest remained in control throughout, as the Rangers collected four additional runs (three scored in the sixth) to take the Game 1 decision.

Peyton Plumlee (2-1) worked seven innings for the Rangers, giving up eight hits and three earned runs while striking out three batters. Koby Busby threw the final two innings for Northwest and surrendered three hits while collecting two strikeouts.

Northwest pounded out 13 hits in the win, led by Hunter Wilson's 3-for-5 effort. Nine Rangers in all had at least one hit.

With the win, Mark Carson joined Jim Miles (1976-97) as the only two coaches in program history to reach the milestone of 300 career victories.

(Game 2) After falling behind early in the first game, it was Holmes that got off to the quick start at the plate in the finale as the Bulldogs scored four runs over the first two innings of play to defeat Northwest 8-4.

Sloan Dieter picked up the win on the mound for the Bulldogs and improved to 2-0 on the season, giving up two earned runs. Dieter, along with starter Cody Greer, combined to give up seven hits while walking three batters and delivering four strikeouts.

Holmes plated a run in the bottom of the first as Christian Smith reached from third base on a passed ball. Northwest briefly tied the game at 1-1 in the second before the Bulldogs came back with three more runs in the bottom of the inning, extending their advantage to 4-1.

A trio of RBI-groundouts in the fourth and fifth innings from Campbell, Cody Cooper and Jake McPhail allowed the Rangers to tie the contest at 4-4. However, Holmes took over again in the bottom of the frame, thanks to a two-run RBI-single from Colin Merritt. Merritt would later score from third base on a passed ball to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 7-4.

Holmes scored one more run in the sixth and the Rangers left one on base in the seventh as the Bulldogs avoided the sweep with the Game 2 victory.

Dalton Minton started, J.R. Miller (2-1) allowed three unearned runs in relief to take the loss and Connor McGraw also saw action on the mound for Northwest.

Northwest will return home on Saturday to host Pearl River (16-4, 1-1) in doubleheader action. Live stats will be available through www.nwccrangers.com and live video will be available at www.prccmedia.com.