WESSON – Hits and runs were hard to come by in Monday's MACJC softball doubleheader between Northwest and Copiah-Lincoln.
The Rangers rallied for three runs in the eighth to win the opener, 4-1, before being shutout 2-0 in the nightcap despite
Katie Brownlee holding the Lady Wolfpack to just three hits.
Northwest moved to 13-13 overall and 5-9 in conference play with the split, while Co-Lin moved to 17-14 and 8-8 in the MACJC.
It's the first of four scheduled conference doubleheaders for the Rangers this week, weather permitting. Northwest is slated to host Holmes, Gulf Coast and Hinds as part of a six-game homestand.
Game 1 – Northwest 4, Co-Lin 1 (8 inn.)
Northwest took a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning but had to rally for three runs in the eighth after Co-Lin forced extras to earn the Game 1 victory.
Harley Smith (7-8) scattered six hits, one run, three strikeouts and two walks in eight frames, while Bailey Root recorded all but the final out for the Lady Wolfpack in the loss.
Alexis McShan singled, moved to second on a hit-by-pitch and scored on a throwing error to make it 1-0 Northwest after two.
Co-Lin tied it at 1-1 in the fifth on Alex Anthony's two-out single up the middle and neither team scored the ensuing two innings.
In the extra frame,
Cameron Hall drew a pinch-hit walk and eventually came around to score on
Morgan Gresham's RBI-groundout.
Ally Judkins added an RBI-single to make it a 4-1 Ranger lead.
Smith allowed a leadoff double but got a groundout, strikeout and fly out to end the game.
Brownlee was 2-for-5 to lead seven Rangers with at least one hit.
Game 2 – Co-Lin 2, Northwest 0
Mackenzie Gros and Brownlee went toe-to-toe in the circle in the nightcap, with Bailey Root's two-run single in the sixth providing the lone run of the game as the Wolfpack salvaged a split.
Scoreless into the sixth, Northwest had its best scoring chance with two on and no outs in the frame.
Maddy Politte singled, followed by Judkins' single, but a fielder's choice, foul out and fly out ended the threat in order.
Co-Lin then took advantage of the Rangers' misfortune in its half of the sixth. Morgan Dubose drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second and came around to score two batters later, in addition to Julie Scheuermann, on Root's two-run double down the left field line.
McShan singled in the seventh but was stranded at second to end the game.
Brownlee fell to 4-4 despite allowing only three hits. Gros scattered four hits and three strikeouts to improve to 7-3.
