SENATOBIA – Northwest moved one win closer to clinching an MACJC playoff spot with a split against the rival Northeast Tigers Tuesday night, picking up an 11-7 game two win after getting run-ruled 18-7 in the opener.

Northwest moved to 27-17 overall and 15-11 in conference play while Northeast fell to 20-23 and 11-14 in the MACJC.

Game 1 – Northeast 18, Northwest 7 (7 innings)

With Northwest leading 4-1 after two, Northeast sent 14 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs (10 unearned) off six hits and two Ranger errors in the fourth to run away with an 18-7 win in seven innings.

Three walks, a hit-by-pitch and two wild pitches allowed Northwest to plate four in the second to take its first lead. Kyle Moore and David Herrington each had bases-loaded RBIs in the frame.

Northeast tied the game in the third, 4-4, thanks to Bailey Walker's RBI-double and a two-run homer to right by Tucker Childers.

The Tigers' 11-run fourth was aided by two Ranger errors, two walks and a hit-by-pitch, and was capped by Childers' grand slam to right.

The team's traded three runs the next two innings in the 18-7 final.

The top of the Northeast lineup finished 10-for-20 with 13 RBIs and 12 runs scored against a 1-for-12 outing for the Rangers' top of the order. Childers finished 3-for-5 with seven RBIs to lead the Tigers.

Max Ludka (2-4) scattered four hits and one run in 3.2 relief innings for Northeast. Harrison Sandridge (3-1) was hit with his first loss in his second shortest outing of his Ranger career, allowing five runs in 3.1 frames.

Game 2 – Northwest 11, Northeast 7

Led by Herrington's 4-for-4 effort in the leadoff spot and a six-run bottom of the sixth, Northwest rallied for an 11-7 come-from-behind win to earn an important home split. 

Herrington singled and scored on a wild pitch to knot the game at 1-1 in the first before an RBI-double from Spencer Cayten and RBI-single from Grant McMinn put the Rangers on top 3-1 after one.

Northeast quickly responded to tie the game at 3-3 in the second on an error, passed ball and wild pitch.

Hunter White's RBI-groundout put Northwest back on top 4-3 in the third and Dakota Dailey's RBI-groundout made it a 5-3 lead in the fourth. 

After two scoreless frames, Northeast would plate three in the sixth to regain the lead, 6-5, and chase starter Kyle Moore with two on and no outs. Jarod Wright allowed two infield RBI-singles before a strikeout to Rashon Tate to minimize the damage. 

Moore and Wright were immediately picked up in the bottom of the sixth, with Northwest sending 10 batters to the dish and plating six runs on five hits to push ahead 11-6. Brooks Boolos' RBI-single tied the game and Aaron Campbell added a big two-run single in the frame.

J.G. Lipscomb closed out the seventh for Northwest, allowing one unearned run on one hit.

Wright (6-3) got the win in his first relief appearance of the season. Moore scattered seven hits, five runs (three earned), five strikeouts and five walks in five innings of work in a no-decision.

Tiger ace Ryan Wesson was tagged for nine runs on nine hits in five innings. He walked five and struck out six.

Northwest will close out the regular season on Saturday, May 6 with a 2 p.m. doubleheader against East Central.