JONESBORO, Ark. - Runs came early and often for Northwest on Thursday afternoon, as the Rangers earned a pair of run-rule victories at Arkansas State, 14-2 and 13-4.

Northwest finished with 14 hits in the opening contest and 16 more in the nightcap. Mallory Hunt and Kaylei Peterson also delivered complete games in the circle, with Peterson notching a career-best seven strikeouts.

With the sweep, the Rangers improved to 3-1 on the season. Northwest will open MACCC competition on Saturday, February 27 in a 1/3 P.M. doubleheader at Pearl River.


Game 1 - Northwest 14, Arkansas State 2 (5 inn.)

A five-run first inning set the tone for Northwest as the Rangers smashed 14 hits, led by freshman Kaitlyn Bednarek flawless 4-for-4 effort at the plate.

Caylee Comer got the scoring started with an RBI-double to left field, which also resulted in Maddie Brower reaching home on the throw. Bednarek followed with her first hit, a single to short, and an RBI-triple from MyCala Helms made it a 4-0 Northwest lead.

Molly Beth Ferguson capped off the fiery first inning with a single to third, making it a quick 5-0 lead for the Rangers.

Although Arkansas State got on the board in the bottom of the first with an RBI-single from Lexi Betts, Northwest responded in the top of the second with a two-run double to left center from Bednarek that made it a 7-1 advantage.

After a quiet third inning, the Rangers broke out the bats again in the fourth, as Bednarek and Helms combined for a pair of base hits that resulted in four more runs crossing the plate.

Emily Wilson doubled to left field in the bottom frame of the fourth to give the Red Wolves another run, but Northwest sealed the victory in the fifth behind an RBI-single from Helms, an RBI-double from Comer and an RBI-triple from Bednarek.

In addition to Bednarek's breakout performance, Helms also finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Brower, Comer and Ferguson combined for two hits apiece.

Hunt garnered her first collegiate victory in the circle, tossing all five innings and allowing two walks and a pair of earned runs.

Betts and Ali Law led Arkansas State with a pair of 2-for-3 outings at the plate. Courtney Foreman was handed the loss for the Red Wolves, after allowing seven earned runs in 1.1 innings.


Game 2 - Northwest 13, Arkansas State 4 (6 inn.)

Between 16 hits and Peterson's solid pitching performance, Northwest had little trouble earning the sweep at Arkansas State in the nightcap.

Much like the first game, the Rangers came out scoring early in the top of the first, as Saige Koczka's sac bunt attempt resulted in an error at third base that scored Laila Armstrong. 

Northwest had no issues swinging the bats once again, as Brower doubled to left center and Helms tripled to center field to make it a 3-0 advantage. Helms later scored from third on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 4-0.

An RBI-single from Armstrong and a grounder to second from Koczka accounted for two of the Rangers' three runs in the third inning, as Northwest stretched the gap to 7-0.

Arkansas State delivered the only trouble for Northwest in the bottom of the third, as Lexy Lockhart's RBI-single to left resulted in two more runs scoring on a fielding error, which closed the gap to 7-3.

Despite the added momentum from the Red Wolves, nothing could stop the Northwest bats in the fourth. After Comer crossed home on a third-base error, Peterson delivered an RBI-single up the middle to tack on two runs for the Rangers.

Arkansas State got its fourth and final run in the fifth inning with Rebeka House's RBI-single through the left side. Northwest would once again seal the win in run-rule fashion, after a solo homer from Peterson sparked a four-run frame that extended the Rangers' lead to 13-4 in the sixth.

Comer led the Rangers with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate, which included a double and an RBI. Armstrong, Brower, Helms, Peterson and Meredith Owen also accounted for two hits apiece.

Peterson's seven strikeouts came against three walks and two earned runs. Her six innings also mark her longest non-conference outing since her first career win against Bishop State on February 22, 2020.

Lockhart was responsible for two of the Red Wolves' five hits in Game 2, while Kendall White was given the loss after allowing five earned runs in three innings.