OXFORD - Late-inning heroics were the top story for a pair of 10-9 and 9-8 walkoff victories for Northwest against East Mississippi.
Trailing 9-5 entering the bottom of the seventh in Game 1, Northwest plated five runs, punctuated by Saige Kockza's game-winning RBI-double to right. In the nightcap, the Rangers used a three-run rally in the seventh to earn the sweep, thanks to a game-winning double to center from
Meredith Owen.
Northwest improved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in MACCC competition with the victories. East Mississippi fell to 0-10 on the season and 0-4 in conference play.
Northwest will return to action on Saturday, March 6 against fourth-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast. The games are set for 12/2 P.M. at the new Senatobia High School field, located on Matthews Drive.
Game 1 - Northwest 10, East Mississippi 9
Despite a rough first inning in the circle for Koczka, the Southaven native redeemed herself both at the plate and pitching during the 10-9 comeback victory for Northwest.
Koczka started the game and allowed three earned runs in the top of the first, before being shuffled to right field for the next five innings. She would later re-enter at pitcher for the seventh inning, eventually earning the victory after her walkoff double.
East Mississippi eventually pushed its lead to 5-0 in the top of the second after a two-run single down the left field line from Hope Thames, only for the Rangers to earn three runs back in the bottom of the frame off a pair of singles from
MyCala Helms and
Oakley Laughter and a triple from Owen.
A quiet third inning gave way to a solid bottom of the fourth for the Rangers, as
Kaylei Peterson drilled a two-run double to left, tying the contest at 5-5.
East Mississippi scattered a pair of runs in the next two innings to regain a 7-5 lead on the Rangers. The Lady Lions' lead would eventually swell to 9-5, putting the Rangers on the ropes heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Down to its last two outs, Northwest began its rally with an RBI-single to right from Owen and an RBI-groundout to second from
Molly Harris. With the deficit trimmed to 9-7, Laughter added two more with her single past second base, tying the game at 9-9 and setting up Koczka's walkoff.
Northwest slugged out 16 hits in the game, compared to 10 from East Mississippi. Owen led the way for the Rangers with a 4-for-4 day at the plate, as Laughter finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
Helms, Peterson,
Kaitlyn Bednarek and
Caylee Comer also totaled two hits apiece.
Koczka struck out three batters over two innings of work, while Peterson dished six strikeouts against one walk in five innings.
Game 2 - Northwest 9, East Mississippi 8
Down to its last three outs in an 8-6 deficit, Northwest once again got a pair of RBI base hits in the bottom of the seventh and another run that scored off an error, as the Rangers took down East Mississippi for the season sweep.
Although the Lady Lions took a 2-0 lead after the opening frame, Northwest quickly tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI-double to center from Helms and a single up the middle from Bednarek.
East Mississippi got a run back in the top of the second, only for the Rangers to tie the match again at 3-3 entering the third inning.
Northwest finally gained a 5-3 advantage in the bottom of the third, thanks to a single from Bednarek and a sac fly to center from Owen. The lead would be short-lived though, as the Lady Lions stormed back with four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run homer from Allie Brown.
Jenna Coker's single to third stretched East Mississippi's lead to 8-5 in the top of the sixth, but Peterson got a run back for the Rangers in the bottom frame.
Comer got the rally going for the Rangers in the seventh, as the freshman infielder's RBI-single scored
Morgan Langley from third. Tied at 8-8 with two outs, Owen's double to center solidified the comeback and the sweep for Northwest.
Bednarek led Northwest with a 3-for-4 effort and two RBIs, as part of a 12-hit effort for the Rangers. Comer, Koczka and
Maddie Brower each came away with two hits apiece.
In the circle, Peterson delivered a gutsy effort with three strikeouts in a complete game performance. Lauren Pickett picked up the loss in relief for East Mississippi.
