SENATOBIA – After opening the 2018 season with four straight splits, No. 7 Northwest was finally able to bring out the brooms on Sunday afternoon, sweeping Calhoun (Ala.) 4-3 and 11-1 at Jim Miles Field.

Freshman Ben Van Cleve had a huge day at the plate, finishing 3-for-6 with two home runs and two RBIs, one of which came as a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh in Game 1.

Brant Blaylock continued his hot start to the season, going 3-for-7 with a grand slam and five RBIs, bringing his season total to a team-leading seven home runs.

Northwest improved to 6-4 on the season and will travel to Southwest Tennessee on Wednesday, Feb. 7 for a 2/5 p.m. doubleheader at USA Stadium in Millington.

Game 1 – Northwest 4, Calhoun 3

With two outs and a tie game in the bottom of the seventh, Van Cleve avoided extra innings with a walk-off homer to left field, giving the Rangers the victory in Game 1.

The Indianola native helped get Northwest on the board in the first inning as well, getting caught in a rundown that resulted in a failed pickoff attempt, allowing Brant Blaylock to score from third.

Northwest got the bats going again in the bottom of the fifth, sparked by back-to-back singles from Justin Milam and Tanner Leggett. A walk to Dakota Dailey then loaded the bases and a fielder's choice to the shortstop brought in Blaylock from third, putting the Rangers ahead 2-0.

Calhoun wasn't going away silently, however, as the Warhawks scored off a passed ball, an error and a single to third base, taking a 3-2 lead.

The lead would be short-lived for the Warhawks, though, as Grant McMinn's fielder's choice to third sent Will Brooks across the plate for the tying run, setting up Van Cleve's walk-off in the bottom of the seventh.

Sophomore Nathan Harrison picked up his first win of the season in relief of Kyle Moore, who pitched 5.2 innings and gave up three unearned runs off six hits with one strikeout.

Van Cleve and Milam both led the Rangers at the plate, going a combined 4-for-7 with a double and a home run.

Game 2 – Northwest 11, Calhoun 1 (5 innings)

A nine-run second inning was all the Rangers needed to pull away in the nightcap, as Northwest cruised to a quick 11-1 victory to earn the sweep.

Van Cleve got things going in the bottom of the second with a solo smash well beyond the left field wall, followed by a bases-loaded two-run double from Milam that scored Brooks and Hayden Leatherwood, putting the Rangers up 3-0.

After a bases-loaded walk to Bradley Smith, Blaylock broke the floodgates open with a grand slam, good for his seventh home run of the season. The final parting shot in the second inning would come from Leatherwood, who smacked a solo homer to right-center, bringing the total to 9-0.

Aaron Cartee spoiled the shutout with a sac fly to right that scored Will Sipes in the fourth inning, but that would be the only damage Calhoun would accomplish.

In the bottom of the fourth, Leatherwood again delivered a homer to right field, scoring Blaylock to push the lead to 11-1.

Calhoun then went three up, three down in the top of the fifth to seal the run-rule victory for the Rangers.

Sophomore Harrison Sandridge (1-1) earned his first win of the season in a complete-game performance, scattering a run on two hits and one strikeout.

Northwest totaled nine hits in Game 2, led by a 2-for-2 effort from Leatherwood with two homers, three RBIs and three runs scored. Blaylock and Brooks also went 2-for-3 with four RBIs for Blaylock off the grand slam.

Van Cleve, Milam and Brooks Boolos also tallied one hit each, with Milam and Van Cleve combining for three RBIs.