ELLISVILLE – Jarod Wright tossed his third complete game of the season and Northwest pulled away with a five-run fourth inning to knock off East Central 8-1 Wednesday on the opening day of the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament at JCJC's Community Bank Park. 

Northwest improved to 32-17 on the season and won its first regional-opening game since the NJCAA World Series run in 2007. ECCC fell to 33-16.

The Rangers will face 2nd-ranked LSU Eunice (45-10) on Thursday at 3 p.m. after the Bengals were upset, 6-2, by Hinds on Wednesday.

Northwest struck first in the third inning, using David Herrington's sac fly and an RBI-groundout from Dakota Dailey to take a 2-0 lead.

EC responded with a single run in the fourth on Ty Alderman's RBI-groundout, but that's as close as the Warriors would get.

Northwest would send 11 batters to the plate and scratch across five runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth to jump ahead 7-1. The first five Rangers reached base safely to start the inning before an RBI-single by Brooks Boolos, two-run double by Hunter White and two-run single by Dailey.

Spencer Cayten capped a 3-for-4 game with an RBI-single in the sixth for the final run of the game.

Jarod Wright (9-3) shined with a big lead, allowing just two baserunners the final five innings in a complete game performance. He scattered four hits, one unearned run and five strikeouts to move into third all-time with 129 career punchouts. 

Northwest out-hit EC 11-4, highlighted by Cayten's three hits and two apiece from Dailey, White and Brody Catt.

Wednesday's games
Game 1, LSU Eunice vs. Hinds, noon (Hinds 6-2)
Game 2, Northwest vs. East Central, 3 p.m. (Northwest 8-1)
Game 3, Jones County vs. Pearl River, 6 p.m. (Pearl River 4-3)

Thursday's games
Game 4, East Central vs. Jones County, noon
Game 5, Northwest vs. LSU Eunice, 3 p.m.
Game 6, Hinds vs. Pearl River, 6 p.m.

Friday's games
Game 7, Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 6, noon
Game 8, Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 3 p.m.
Game 9, Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.

Saturday's game 
Game 10, Championship, Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.

Sunday's game
Game 11, if necessary, 1 p.m.
 
IF FIVE TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 6
Friday's games
Game 7, Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon
Game 8, Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 3 p.m.
Game 9, Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7, 6 p.m.

Saturday's game
Game 10, Championship, Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 1 p.m.

Sunday's game
Game 11, if necessary
 
IF THREE TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 9
Saturday's game
Game 10, Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 9, 1 p.m.

Sunday's game
Game 11, Championship, Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 1 p.m.