MERIDIAN - Following a loss to Meridian in Saturday's opener, Northwest led late in the nightcap, only for the Eagles to force extra innings and eventually take the sweep from the Rangers.
Meridian's walkoff winner came in the bottom of the ninth on a questionable call at first base, where the runner appeared to be out on a 6-3 putout with two outs. Instead, the umpires deemed the runner safe, ending the game in favor of the Eagles on an RBI-single.
With the loss, Northwest fell to 10-10 on the season and 4-6 in the MACCC. Meridian improved to 14-6 on the season and 6-4 in conference competition.
Northwest will return home to host Coahoma on Tuesday, March 16 for a 3/6 P.M. doubleheader at Jim Miles Field.
Game 1 - Meridian 8, #4 Northwest 5
Meridian earned eight runs on nine hits and picked up most of their runs on four separate home runs, as Northwest dropped the first contest to the Eagles.
Bridley Thomas got things going quick for the Eagles, sending the first pitch of the game over the wall in left center. Meridian then picked up four runs in the third inning off back-to-back two-run homers from Banks Tolley and Bo Gatlin to take a 5-1 lead.
Trailing 8-3 after seven innings, the Rangers made things interesting in the top of the eighth, as
Dylan Hale's sac fly brought in
Colton Presley from third and cut the Eagles' lead in half.
Northwest would strike once more in the top of the ninth, as
Peyton Puckett smashed a solo homer to center field. However, Meridian shut down the next two batters and ended the game on a lineout to second base.
Caleb Hobson and
Peyton Mills finished with three hits apiece in the loss, while Puckett and
Ty Leatherwood finished with two hits each.
Josh Hill (0-2) picked up the loss for the Rangers on the mound and allowed six earned runs through five innings, despite seven strikeouts.
Cameron Lancaster tossed the final two innings in relief and allowed no runs or hits.
For Meridian, the Eagles were led by two hits apiece from Thomas and Braden Luke. Christian Jones tossed five strikeouts over seven innings to earn the win.
Game 2 - Meridian 7, Northwest 6 (8 inn.)
Despite a strong relief appearance from freshman
John Luke Marlin, Northwest left Meridian empty-handed with a gut-wrenching extra innings loss in the nightcap.
Meridian led 2-0 until the top of the fourth, when
Wesley Lester teed off on a two-run homer to left center that disappeared into the night sky and forced a 2-2 tie.
After a stolen base from
Cade Spratlin set up
Landon Rogers to score from third on a botched throw to the plate, the Rangers loaded the bases and walked in Spratlin to go ahead 4-2.
Meridian inched back within a run off an RBI-single from Thomas in the bottom of the fourth, only for Northwest to move back ahead on a two-run homer to left from Hobson.
Northwest would see its 6-3 lead crumble in the bottom of the fifth however, as a solo homer from Luke gave way to three-run frame for the Eagles and a 6-6 tie.
Meridian nearly walked the game off in the bottom of the seventh on what appeared to be a solo homer to deep center from Gatlin. Instead, Hobson tracked down the ball and made an impressive catch at the wall to keep the Rangers alive.
Northwest went down in order in the top of the eighth and despite some early trouble in the bottom frame, the Rangers had the Eagles pinned with runners on scoring position and two outs. Down to his last strike, Tolley's grounder to the shortstop reached first base, but was allegedly not in time for the out, allowing the Eagles the walkoff single.
Marlin lasted 4.1 innings in relief and struck out four batters, despite allowing three earned runs. He entered the game in relief of
Colton Peel, who lasted three full innings with four strikeouts against three walks.
Hobson, Rogers and
Kelton Hall finished with two hits apiece to lead Northwest, while Tolley and Luke led Meridian with two hits each.
Brett Mason picked up the win on the mound for the Eagles in 3.2 relief innings.
