SENATOBIA – After falling behind early in both contests, Northwest wasn't quite able to complete a comeback as Hinds swept the Rangers by a pair of 4-3 finals on Tuesday afternoon.
Northwest ends the season at 19-21 overall and 11-17 in the MACJC. Hinds improved to 25-18 overall and 17-11 in the MACJC and finished in a five-way tie in the conference standings.
Game 1 –
Hinds 4, Northwest 3
Hinds' Cecilia Akin had her no-hitter spoiled in the bottom of the seventh, as the Rangers rallied for four hits and three runs in a 4-3 losing effort.
Hinds got on the board early in the first, as Amelia Purdy sent Carlie Steele in from second off an RBI-double to left field. The Lady Eagles would then add a run apiece over the next two innings and one more in the fifth, going ahead 4-0 on the Rangers.
Northwest failed to get the bats going until the seventh, when
Harley Smith broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single through the left side. A single from
Alexis McShan and a walk to
Sarah Taylor then loaded up the bases for the Rangers.
In prime position for a rally, Northwest delivered three runs across the plate thanks to a two-run single to left center from
Mary Thornburg and
Shelby Wilson's RBI-single to right. With a runner on second with two outs, however, the Rangers failed to send in the tying run.
In her final pitching performance in a Ranger uniform, sophomore
Harley Smith surrendered three earned runs off eight hits, while dishing three strikeouts. She finishes the season at 11-17 and 23 career wins, good for fourth all-time at Northwest.
Game 2 –
Hinds 4, Northwest 3
Despite fighting back for a 2-2 tie in the second inning, Northwest was again unable to pull out a victory against the visting Lady Eagles, as Hinds left Senatobia with a 4-3 victory in the nightcap.
Much like the first contest, Hinds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off Nikki Skerlong's RBI-double to right center. A solo homer from Mary Haydon Williams made things worse in the second inning, as the Rangers fell behind 2-0.
Northwest responded in the bottom of the second, however, as
Kendall Akerson's sacrifice squeeze sent Taylor in to score.
Ally Judkins then followed with a single to short, before reaching second on an error that allowed Wilson to score from second for the tying run.
The tie would prove to be short-lived though, as Skerlong teed off on a two-run homer over the left field wall to give the lead back to Hinds, 4-2.
An RBI-groundout from Judkins in the sixth brought the Rangers back within one and McShan would things interesting in the seventh with a single to left center, but Northwest was unable to complete the rally.
Katie Brownlee went all seven innings, allowing three earned runs off eight hits and five strikeouts. Wilson and Judkins each finished 2-for-3 at the plate, while McShan finished 2-for-4.
