Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BRANDON – Trailing the fifth-ranked team in the nation 6-0 after two complete innings, Northwest staged a rally but fell just short of a major upset, only to respond with a walkoff victory in the nightcap against Coastal Alabama-South on Friday evening.

Northwest evened its record to 4-4 on the season. The Rangers will return to action on Sunday, March 1 in Ellisville against third-ranked Des Moines Area and No. 4 Jones College at 2/4 p.m.


Game 1 – #5 Highland (Kan.) 9, Northwest 8

After surrendering three runs apiece over the first two innings, Northwest quietly began to rally back with two runs across the third and fourth innings before ultimately falling to fifth-ranked Highland.

Trailing 6-2 entering the top of the fifth, the Rangers made the biggest noise in the fifth inning, adding three runs across the plate to cut the deficit to 6-5. Another three-run frame in the top of the sixth allowed Northwest to briefly gain an 8-6 lead, only to see Highland respond with two in the bottom half of the inning.

Tied at 8-8 in the seventh, Highland prevented extra innings by providing the walkoff winner to deny the Rangers of a major upset victory.

Northwest finished with nine hits in the contest, led by two from Saige Koczka. Brittni Beard was also responsible for four Ranger RBIs.

Kaylei Peterson tossed four strikeouts over four solid innings of work.


Game 2 – Northwest 7, Coastal Alabama-South 6

Down 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh, freshman Molly Beth Ferguson hit a walkoff homer to lift Northwest to the 7-6 win against Coastal Alabama-South.

Northwest delivered the first blow with a run in the bottom of the first, only to see the Lady Sun Chiefs respond with two in the top of the second.

After the Rangers plated another run in the bottom of the second to tie things up at 2-2, Coastal Alabama-South scattered two runs over the next three frames to gain a 4-2 edge.

Both teams battled over the final three frames as Northwest regained a 5-4 lead with three runs scored in the sixth. The Lady Sun Chiefs added another pair of runs in the top half of the seventh to pull back ahead, only for Ferguson to end it once and for all in the bottom of the seventh.

Peterson and Lacey Coats split time in the circle, with Coats striking out three Coastal Alabama batters. Koczka and Emma Grace Schell delivered four of 11 hits for Northwest.