Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SENATOBIA – For the entire first month of the season, the Northwest softball team has played the role of road warriors with no games scheduled at home for the month of February.

As a result, fans eagerly awaiting the Rangers' home opener were in for a treat as Northwest made it worth the wait, sweeping Pearl River in what was also the MACJC opener for both teams.

It took extra innings but the Rangers walked it off with a 5-4 win in 10 innings against the Wildcats in Game 1, following with an 8-3 victory in the nightcap to solidify the sweep.

With the wins, Northwest opened conference play at 2-0 and improved to 8-6 on the season. The Rangers will enjoy an extended absence for Spring Break, returning to action on Wednesday, Feb. 18 against 12th-ranked Itawamba at 1/3 p.m.


Game 1 – Northwest 5, Pearl River 4 (10 inn.)

Despite being outhit 13-9, the Rangers made the most of their opportunities at the plate and fought off a scrappy Pearl River team with a 10-inning victory.

Pearl River took a 2-0 advantage in the top of the second off an RBI-double to center field from Faith Peterson and a bases loaded walk, but the Rangers would respond in the bottom of the third off a shortstop error to cut the lead to 2-1.

A scoreless fourth inning soon gave way to both teams earning a run each in the fifth, starting with another RBI base hit from Peterson, making it a 3-1 lead for the Wildcats. 

Emma Grace Schell responded right back in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI-double down the right field line, scoring Oakley Laughter to cut the deficit back down to a single run at 3-2.

Facing two outs and a 2-0 count in the bottom of the seventh, freshman Saige Koczka delivered the tying hit with an RBI-double to center, sending Schell in from first to force extra innings.

Both teams would come up empty in the eighth but Pearl River struck first in the ninth, as Promise Shanks scored Abigail Thexton from third to send the Rangers down 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth.

Working against one out, a sac fly from Koczka scored Laughter from third to tie the game up once more at 4-4.

Northwest kept Pearl River off the board in the 10th as Kaylei Peterson delivered the first out, which was followed by a 7-5 double play to send the Rangers up to bat in the bottom of the 10th.

With the international tiebreaker in effect, Cylie Robertson was placed on second to start the frame. After Molly Beth Ferguson reached first on a successful bunt, Madison Crosby grounded out to short for the first out, only for MyCala Helms to deliver the game winning hit on a single to center that scored Robertson from third.

Schell led the Rangers at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Helms and Laughter also finished with two hits and a double each.

Although she didn't earn the win, Peterson delivered a solid outing of 8.2 innings with three strikeouts against three walks and four earned runs. Lacey Coats earned the win in relief, posting a strikeout and no hits allowed in the final 1.1 innings of work.

Grace Stringer wound up on the wrong end of the pitching duel for Pearl River, lasting 8.1 innings with four strikeouts.


Game 2 – Northwest 8, Pearl River 3

Pearl River dealt the first blow with a 2-0 lead in the first inning but Northwest responded with a pair of three-run frames in the third and sixth innings to pick up the sweep with an 8-3 victory.

Emily McDonald got the scoring started for the Wildcats with a two-run triple in the top of the first, but a two-out double from Crosby scored Koczka from second in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 2-1.

A Brooke Fagan home run made it a 3-1 lead for Pearl River in the top of the second but a three-run double from Brittni Beard in the third lifted the Rangers to a 4-3 lead.

Lacey Coats and the Northwest infield helped keep Pearl River off the board over the next two frames. Meanwhile, the Rangers kept scoring as Koczka crossed the plate off a passed ball in the fifth, moving the lead to 5-3.

Northwest would get three runs in the sixth thanks to an RBI-single from Laughter and a two-run single from Koczka, sealing the sweep for the Rangers.

Lacey Coats picked up the win in Game 2, tossing five strikeouts against two walks and an earned run during a complete game performance.

Koczka finished 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead Northwest at the plate, one of six different Rangers to earn at least one hit.