SENATOBIA - Behind a total of 19 hits and 10 Coahoma errors, No. 4 Northwest opened the season on a strong note with a pair of run-rule victories on Friday afternoon at Jim Miles Field.

Kelton Hall had the best day at the plate for the Rangers, finishing 5-for-6 with a home run and six RBIs. Tucker Richmond also went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Mississippi State transfer Peyton Puckett finished 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and five RBIs in the nightcap.

Northwest (2-0) will return to action on Wednesday, February 3 against East Mississippi for a 2/5 p.m. twinbill.


Game 1 - #4 Northwest 11, Coahoma 1 (6 inn.)

Northwest scattered runs across all but one inning as the Rangers rolled to a 10-run triumph.

A pair of errors plagued Coahoma in the bottom of the first, including one at third base that led to the Rangers' first run from Caleb Hobson. Hall's RBI-single up the middle then gave Northwest an additional run and a 2-0 start.

After Richmond laid down a sac bunt to score Noah Hattier in the third, the Rangers picked up two more in the fourth inning off back-to-back RBI-singles from Richmond and Hall to take a convincing 5-0 lead.

Coahoma worked its way onto the scoreboard with a solo homer from Josh Ethridge to lead off the fifth inning, but Northwest responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by RBI base hits from Hall, Hobson and Richmond.

Although the Rangers left two runners stranded in scoring position to end the fifth, McGreger Lee provided the Rangers with the run-rule, thanks to his solo homer in the sixth inning.

Colton Peel picked up the win for the Rangers after delivering four strikeouts and no runs allowed in four innings of work. Will Logsdon also struck out a pair of batters in two innings of relief.

Jake Carr was credited with the loss for Coahoma after allowing three earned runs and six walks.


Game 2 - Northwest 15, Coahoma 5 (6 inn.)

Despite allowing four Coahoma runs in the third inning, Northwest combined to score eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings en route to the sweep of the Tigers.

Much like the first game, the Rangers started off hot in the first inning, as Hall's two-run single was followed by a two-run homer for Dylan Hale, which quickly boosted Northwest to a 4-0 lead.

Puckett's sac fly in the second inning added an additional run for the Rangers, only for Coahoma to claw back with four runs in the top of the third inning. Josiah Rivera and Anyelo Sanchez got the scoring started for the Tigers with a pair of RBI base hits, while a two-run shot from Chase Jones sliced the Rangers' lead to 5-4.

Back-to-back homers from Puckett and Hall lifted the Rangers back ahead 9-4 in the bottom of the fourth, while a wild pitch allowed Peeko Townsend to score from third and make it a 10-4 advantage.

Although the Tigers earned a run back in the top of the fifth off a Zarin Cole single, Northwest got a two-run single from Peyton Mills and a sac fly from Hale that swelled the lead to 13-5.

Northwest would close things out for good in the sixth, thanks to Puckett's RBI-double and a bases loaded walk to Townsend.

Freshman Owen Bruce earned the victory in his debut, lasting three full innings and striking out two batters against two walks. Freshman trio Jake Savage, Alan Kivett and John Luke Marlin also saw action in relief, combining for four strikeouts and one earned run allowed.

Ethan Kreyer was handed the loss for Coahoma after allowing seven earned runs against three strikeouts.