SENATOBIA – Spencer Cayten went 4-for-7 at the plate with a double, a home run and four RBIs to help lift Northwest to a pair of 6-5 and 6-2 victories against Southwest Mississippi on Saturday afternoon at Jim Miles Field.

Northwest improved to 20-12 on the season and 8-6 in the MACJC, while Southwest fell to 12-17 and 1-13 in the conference.

Game 1 – Northwest 6, Southwest Mississippi 5

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Rangers tied the game on Cayten's solo shot to left field for his second career home run and the first of 2017.

Northwest would then take the lead, thanks to a three-run fifth inning. David Herrington's two-out double to left field was followed by a walk to Dakota Dailey to load the bases. Aaron Campbell was then plunked to bring in Baron Davies for the 2-1 advantage.

Cayten continued his successful stretch at the plate with a two-run single to centerfield that brought in Herrington and Dailey, pushing the Ranger lead to 4-1.

Although the Bears regained a 5-4 lead in the eighth with John Marcus McDowell's grand slam, Northwest rallied back with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Justin Milam got the inning started with a double to right center and Zack Pope would bring him home on an RBI-double to left center, tying the game at 5-5. Hunter White's single through the left side would score Pope and give the Rangers the 6-5 lead.

J.G. Lipscomb shut the Bears down in the ninth, working out of a bases-loaded jam to collect his seventh save of the season.

Sophomore Jarod Wright (4-2) struck out seven batters in an eight-inning span to pick up his ninth career win.

Northwest was outhit 12-10 in the contest with Cayten and White finishing with a combined six hits for the Rangers.

Game 2 – Northwest 6, Southwest Mississippi 2

Northwest overcame an early 2-0 deficit and scattered 11 hits in the nightcap victory to earn the conference sweep.

Southwest took a 1-0 lead in the first with Scooter Ginn's two-out solo homer to left field. The Bears would gain an extra run in the second as McDowell's bunt would allow Chance Groue to score from third.

Davies brought the Rangers to life in the fourth with his solo blast to deep left center for his seventh home run of the season, bringing the Rangers within a run, 2-1. 

Northwest would use a three-run fifth inning to help put the Bears away, as Herrington helped the Rangers tie the contest with his RBI-single through the right side. Campbell and Cayten would follow with a single and a double that scored two more runs for Northwest and gave the Rangers a 4-2 lead.

Brooks Boolos kept the runs coming for the Rangers in the sixth, as his RBI-single through the right side allowed White to score. Boolos would later cross the plate on a passed ball that gave Northwest its sixth and final run.

Nathan Harrison dispatched the Bears in the seventh with a quick four-pitch outing to seal the sweep for Northwest.

Dalton Minton (7-2) went six innings and struck out eight batters to get the win in his first start in three weeks.

Boolos finished 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and Herrington went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Northwest will begin a three-week road trip on April 11 at No. 7 Itawamba. First pitch is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start in Fulton.