WESSON - Behind a combined 19 hits and a six-inning effort from Hammer Franks in the opener, Northwest returned to action after a week-long break by splitting Sunday's doubleheader with a whopping 19-4 victory and a close 6-3 loss at Copiah-Lincoln.

Game 1 featured 11 hits for the Rangers, led by a 2-for-5 effort from Garrett Riggs, who batted in seven runs on a triple and a grand slam. Noah Hattier also went 2-for-3 in the opener, while Peyton Mills finished 4-for-6 on the afternoon with four RBIs.

Franks struck out six and allowed a pair of earned runs in Game 1, improving to 5-1 on the season. Joel Wilkinson tossed a scoreless 3.1 innings of relief in Game 2, compiling three strikeouts with no walks or runs allowed.

Northwest moved to 22-14 overall and 14-10 in MACCC competition, while Copiah-Lincoln moved to 19-19 overall and 15-11 in conference play. The Rangers will host 12th-ranked Itawamba on Tuesday, April 20 in the regular season home finale from Jim Miles Field.


Game 1 - Northwest 19, Copiah-Lincoln 4 (7 inn.)

From the very first pitch, Northwest set the tone for the Game 1 victory, as Peyton Puckett's leadoff double quickly gave way to a two-run homer from Kelton Hall in the first inning of the Rangers' 15-run triumph.

Northwest scored a run in every inning except the third and pulled away late with four-run sixth inning and a seven-run frame in the top of the seventh.

Puckett's bases loaded walk in the top of the second helped the Rangers make it a 3-0 advantage and an error at third allowed Dylan Hale to score, making it a 4-0 lead.

After the silent third inning, Mills struck back with a three-run double to left field in the fourth to push the Rangers' lead to 7-0. The trouble continued for the Wolves in the top of the fifth, as Hall was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing the margin to stretch 8-0.

Hunter Estes got Copiah-Lincoln on the board with an RBI-single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth, only for the Rangers to get a three-run triple from Riggs and a run off a wild pitch for a 12-1 advantage.

Kenner Bizot's two-run single in the sixth did little to faze Northwest, as Riggs' grand slam, a Landon Rogers single and a two-run homer from Peeko Townsend made it a dominant 19-3 lead for the Rangers in the top of the seventh.

Copiah-Lincoln earned a run back in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI-single from Colton Womack, but the Wolves came no closer.

In addition to multiple hits from Hattier, Mills and Riggs, Northwest saw Hall, Hobson, Puckett and Townsend finish with a hit each. The Wolves collected five hits in the loss.


Game 2 - Copiah-Lincoln 6, Northwest 3

A solid 3.1 innings of relief from Joel Wilkinson helped keep the Wolves off the board, but a four-run second inning from Copiah-Lincoln made the difference for in the conference split.

Northwest loaded the bases to open the top of the first and an RBI-single to left field from Landon Rogers allowed the Rangers to take a brief 1-0 advantage.

Copiah-Lincoln responded with a two-run homer from Marquez Hudson in the bottom of the first and an RBI-single in the second from Noah Freeman gave the Wolves a 3-1 lead.

A wild pitch plated another Wolves' run in the bottom of the second and a two-run homer from Peyton Parker put Copiah-Lincoln ahead for good, 6-1.

An RBI-single from Cade Spratlin cut the deficit to 6-2 in the third, but neither team would score again until Mills' sac fly in the seventh.

Mills finished as the only Ranger to collect more than one hit in the nightcap, while Tom Biggs led the Wolves with a pair of hits.

Jacob Spinks (5-2) picked up the win for Copiah-Lincoln after striking out four batters in six complete innings.