Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MERIDIAN – Behind a heavy-hitting performance at the plate that yielded a combined 21 hits, Northwest finished the Rush Invitational on Saturday by earning a split against Central Alabama and Bishop State.

Trailing 5-1 late in the first game against Central Alabama, Northwest rallied with two runs over the final three frames but failed to complete the comeback, falling 5-3 against the Lady Trojans. 

Northwest finished with 10 hits in the loss to Central Alabama but came out swinging once more in the finale against Bishop State, hammering 11 hits in an 8-0 shutout of the Lady Cougars.

Now 3-3 on the season, the Rangers are scheduled to travel to Southwest Tennessee on Tuesday, Feb. 25 for a 1/3 p.m. twinbill in Arlington, Tenn. Live stats will be available at nwccrangers.com.


Game 1 – Central Alabama 5, Northwest 3

Northwest delivered the first blow with a run in the bottom of the third but a three-run top of the fourth from Central Alabama was followed by two more in the fifth, as the Trojans' took a 5-1 lead en route to the 5-3 win on Saturday morning.

Despite the loss, the Rangers delivered 10 hits against eight from Central Alabama, three of which came from sophomore Madison Crosby. Brittni Beard also led Northwest at the plate with two RBIs.

Lacey Coats and Saige Koczka split time in the circle, combining for three strikeouts. Coats lasted 3.2 innings while the freshman Koczka threw for 3.1 innings of work.


Game 2 – Northwest 8, Bishop State 0

Sophomore transfer Emma Grace Schell had a breakout game at the plate with four hits and four RBIs in an 8-0 shutout of Bishop State on Saturday afternoon.

Northwest drove in a pair of runs in the top of the first and solo runs in the fourth and sixth innings, before a four-run top of the seventh all but assured a win for the Rangers.

Schell wasn't the only Ranger to come up big at the plate as Koczka delivered three hits while Beard and Oakley Laughter were credited with an RBI apiece. 

Koczka and Schell combined for seven of the Rangers' 11 hits in the victory, while Northwest also played a clean game in the field, finishing with no errors in the contest.

Freshman Kaylei Peterson earned the win for Northwest, striking out two batters and allowing no runs over six innings of work. Sophomore Delta Claire Newman came in to finish things out in the seventh and struck out two batters.