SENATOBIA - Hitting was on full display for both teams on Saturday afternoon, as both teams combined for 60 hits across two games. Despite the power at the plate however, Northwest fell to No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast by a pair of 14-10 and 16-7 finals.

MGCCC outhit Northwest 17-13 in both contests, led by a 5-for-8 performance from Maddie Brower and a 4-for-6 effort from Meredith Owen. The Rangers hit five home runs on the day, highlighted by two apiece from Saige Koczka.

With the sweep, Northwest falls to 5-5 and 2-4 in the MACCC. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs improved 10-4 on the season and 6-0 in conference play.

Northwest will return to action on Wednesday, February 10 against Northeast for a 1/3 P.M. twinbill in Senatobia.


Game 1 - #4 Mississippi Gulf Coast 14, Northwest 10

Northwest trailed 11-10 entering the seventh inning, but Mississippi Gulf Coast would pull away with a three-run frame to take the 14-10 decision.

Kristian Jones got things going early for the Lady Bulldogs, as her solo homer to left center made it a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Northwest quickly turned the tables in the bottom of the first, as Kaitlyn Bednarek's two-run homer a two-run double from Owen made it a 4-1 lead for the Rangers.

MGCCC made sure the lead would be short-lived however, as the Lady Bulldogs hammered out a whopping six runs on seven hits in the top of the second, including a two-run double from Briana Shores.

Jones helped MGCCC tack on another run in the third with a single through the left side, but the Rangers responded once more in the bottom of the third with a three-run shot from Kaylei Peterson, cutting the deficit to 8-7.

Northwest took the lead one more time in the fourth with an RBI-double from Brower and a single from Helms, but after back-to-back base hits to center in the fifth inning, MGCCC regained an 11-9 advantage.

A triple from Owen in the sixth allowed the Rangers to pull within a run, but a pair of doubles and a sac fly from Rakeya Travis in the seventh gave Mississippi Gulf Coast what it needed to pull away.

Brower, Owen and Laila Armstrong finished 3-for-4 at the plate, accounting for nine of the Rangers' 13 hits. Bednarek also finished with a pair of hits, while Helms and Peterson finished with one apiece.

Jones finished 5-for-5 for MGCCC, while Shores and Laughlin were credited with three hits each.

Peterson went the distance but was handed the loss, despite five strikeouts. A'Mya Stevens earned the win in relief for Mississippi Gulf Coast after replacing a 2.2 inning effort from Abby Vance.


Game 2 - #4 Mississippi Gulf Coast 16, Northwest 7 (6 inn.)

Mississippi Gulf Coast scored in every inning but the second, including a pair of five-run outputs in the first and third innings to defeat Northwest by a 16-7 final.

After watching the Lady Bulldogs take a 5-0 lead in the opening frame of the nightcap, Northwest responded with a solo homer from Koczka and a pair of singles from Helms and Owen to slice the deficit to 5-3 in the bottom half of the first.

Koczka held the opposing batters scoreless in the top of the second and the Rangers struck while the iron was hot, as another solo bomb from Koczka and a two-run home run from Caylee Comer put Northwest ahead 6-5.

Much like the first game though, the Northwest lead was short-lived, as the Lady Bulldogs got things started in the top of the third with a single through the left side from Sarah Brannan. A single from Alexis Laughlin, a fielder's choice and a two-run double from Travis put MGCCC back ahead 10-6.

Bednarek's RBI-single to left would be the final run scored from the Rangers, as Mississippi Gulf Coast scattered four runs across the final two innings to earn the run-rule and the sweep.

Koczka went 3-for-4 to lead the Rangers at the plate, while Bednarek, Brower and Comer finished with two hits each. 

K.K. Agner led MGCCC with a 5-for-5 effort and four RBIs. Brannan, Travis and Laughlin all earned three hits for the visitors, with Travis also chipping in five RBIs.

Mallory Hunt was handed the loss for Northwest after 2.1 innings and nine runs allowed. Koczka tossed three strikeouts against four earned runs to close out the final 3.2 innings of work.

Stevens picked up the win once again for the Lady Bulldogs after throwing 4.1 innings of relief in place of Emaleigh Coates, who lasted less than two innings.