COLUMBIA, Tenn. –
Hammer Franks came alive at the plate in a big way on Tuesday afternoon, going 4-for-6 with a triple, two home runs and seven RBIs in a road sweep of Columbia State.
Northwest moved to 7-1 on the season and earned its third sweep of the season, as Columbia State fell to 4-9 overall.
GAME 1 – Northwest 8, Columbia State 6
Northwest churned out a season-high 15 hits as Franks finished a double shy of the cycle in the Rangers' 8-6 triumph.
A pair of first inning errors at first base helped
Brayland Skinner get the Rangers on the board first with a 1-0 lead, only to see the Chargers respond with a pair of RBI-singles in the bottom of the frame to go ahead 2-1.
Northwest came right back in the top of the second, as a pair of two-out singles from Skinner and
Tanner Leggett set up Franks' two-run triple to send the Rangers back in front 3-2.
After scoring three more runs in the top of the third off a fielding error and
Bradley Smith's two-run double, the Rangers saw their 6-2 lead slip a bit in the bottom of the fourth as the Chargers added two more runs to trim the gap to 6-4.
Franks homered to center field in the sixth to add two more, but Columbia State responded back in the bottom of the frame with an RBI-single from Dorian Berry and an RBI-double from J. Carlin to put Northwest on the ropes again at 8-6.
Despite going down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, Northwest kept the Chargers at bay in the bottom of the seventh, turning a double play and gunning a runner down at second to hang on for the win.
In addition to Franks' performance, Leggett also finished 3-for-5 at the plate while Skinner went 2-for-5.
Carson Stinnett (2-0) picked up the win for the Rangers, tossing four strikeouts in 5.2 innings, despite surrendering five earned runs. Smith earned his second save in relief.
GAME 2 – Northwest 4, Columbia State 3
A four-run fifth inning proved to be all the Rangers needed in the nightcap, as Northwest rallied from behind for the sweep.
Berry led off the game with a bang for Columbia State, smashing a triple to left and scoring on the next at-bat off an RBI groundout. A bases-loaded walk in the second and an RBI-single in the third allowed the Chargers to stretch their lead at 3-0.
After four shutout innings from John Maynard, the Chargers went to the bullpen in the fifth and the Rangers took full advantage. Following a double down the left field line,
Peyton Mills advanced to third on a passed ball and would score the Rangers' first run off Skinner's sac fly to right.
With runners at first and second, Franks teed off on a shot over the right field wall for his second homer of the day to put Northwest ahead 4-3.
Reed Harding provided the Rangers with 2.1 solid innings of work in relief, setting the stage for Smith to close out the seventh for his third save of the season.
Harding picked up the win for Northwest in his season debut, allowing no runs and striking out two.
Northwest committed four errors in the contest and were held to just four hits, with Franks, Mills,
Clark Stovall and
Garrett Riggs providing one each.
Northwest is slated return to the friendly confines of Jim Miles Field this weekend, hosting John Wood and Southeastern Iowa in a three-way round robin slate. The Rangers will play at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., with the visiting teams facing off in between at 2 p.m.
