ELLISVILLE – Facing the nation's top-ranked team and the defending national champions in Jones College, Northwest put a scare into the Lady Bobcats in the back end of a doubleheader before falling 8-0 and 8-4 at Community Bank Park on Saturday.

Jones improved to 20-3, 6-0 in the MACJC with the sweep, while Northwest fell to 8-10-1 and 2-4 in conference action.

The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Rangers with nationally-ranked Itawamba and Meridian (RV) on deck on Tuesday and Thursday.

Game 1 – Jones 8, Northwest 0 (5)

Lauren Stringer tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout with six strikeouts and Jones out-hit Northwest 9-3 to take game one of the doubleheader in a five-inning run-rule.

A six-run third inning was all the Lady Bobcats needed, with a pair of two-run RBI-singles and LP Trammell's two-run home run closing the big frame.

Avery McIver, Shelby Wilson and Brittni Beard each had a hit in the loss.

Lacey Coats fell to 3-3 in the circle, allowing seven runs on seven hits in just 2.2 innings of work. 

Game 2 – Jones 8, Northwest 4

Tied at 1-1 in the fourth with two outs, a Gracie McCleskey grand slam proved to be the difference as Jones held off a late Ranger rally for the sweep.

Kristen Perrigo's RBI-single to right put Northwest up 1-0 in the second before Jones responded in the bottom half with Hallie Donald's RBI-groundout to tie the game.

The big hit then came for Jones in the fourth with two outs, as McCleskey snuck an 0-1 pitch over the 190-foot wall in center (220 in CF at Northwest) for a grand slam to make it 5-1.

Trailing 7-1 in the sixth, Northwest rallied to pull within three thanks to Beard's RBI-double and Perrigo's RBI-single before Stringer came in in relief of Donald and closed the door.

Northwest will travel to No. 18 Itawamba on Tuesday. Live video and stats will be available through nwccrangers.com.