DECATUR - Trailing 6-2 with six outs remaining, Northwest staged a five-run rally in the sixth inning to earn an 8-7 victory in Game 1 at East Central. The nightcap was a different story however, as the Rangers treated the finale like a home run derby, firing off eight home runs in an 18-4 blowout of the Lady Warriors.

Altogether, Northwest finished with nine home runs, with Kaitlyn Bednarek providing both homers for the Rangers in the opener. Saige Koczka added more separation to her all-time home run record with three more bombs in the second contest, followed by one apiece from Bednarek, Maddie Brower, Molly Harris and Oakley Laughter.

Northwest combined for 30 hits on the day, including 18 in the nightcap, as the Rangers improved to 17-13 overall and 14-12 in MACCC competition. East Central dropped to 12-26 on the season and 10-16 in conference play.

Next up for the Rangers is the home and regular season finale against fifth-ranked Copiah-Lincoln on Wednesday, April 28. The 2/4 P.M. twinbill will take place at the Senatobia Sports Park, with live stats and live broadcast coverage available.


Game 1 - Northwest 8, East Central 7

Behind 12 hits and five-run rally in the top of the sixth inning, Northwest edged a feisty East Central team in Monday's series opener.

Scoreless after two complete, the Lady Warriors got on the board first with a solo homer in the bottom of the third. The Rangers responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to take a brief 2-1 lead, but a five-run frame in the bottom of the fourth sent East Central ahead 6-2.

Down to its last six outs, Northwest put its rally caps on in the sixth inning, as MyCala Helms led things off with a right field single. Bednarek followed with a two-run homer to center to close the gap to 6-4.

After Molly Beth Ferguson and Laila Armstrong reached base on a walk and a single, respectively, Saige Koczka tied the game with a two-run double to center. Brower would bring her home with one swing of the bat, as her double to left gave the Rangers a 7-6 lead.

Northwest then added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, thanks to Bednarek's second homer, a solo shot to left. East Central earned run back in the bottom of the seventh, but Meagan Allen denied the comeback attempt for the Lady Warriors by delivering a strikeout for the third and final out.

Bednarek and Brower led the Rangers at the plate, as both players finished 3-for-4 with a combined five RBIs. Allen improved to 2-1 in the circle after entering in relief of Kaylei Peterson, as the Lepanto, Ark. freshman struck out three batters across the final four innings.


Game 2 - Northwest 18, East Central 4 (5 inn.)

The slugfest started early for Northwest in the nightcap, as the Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of an 18-4 rout of East Central.

Koczka led things off with a two-run homer in the top of the first and an RBI-single from Helms helped provide the early lead for Northwest. 

Although East Central added three runs of its own to tie the game in the bottom of the first, the Rangers quickly took control with another three-run frame in the second inning. Laughter got things started with a solo homer to center field and Koczka followed with her second homer of the game, extending the lead to 5-3.

On the next at-bat, Brower delivered a solo homer to left to help Northwest earn a 6-3 advantage.

A scoreless second inning from the Lady Warriors only provided fuel to the Rangers' fire, as Koczka delivered a two-out, three-run home run in the third to push the lead to 9-3.

East Central picked up a solo homer in the bottom of the third, but the additional run did little to stop the Rangers' momentum. Leading 9-4, Northwest sent seven runs across the plate in the top half of the fourth inning, thanks to a solo homer from Bednarek, a two-run double from Laughter, an RBI-single from Brower and a solo home run from Harris, widening the gap to a 16-4 advantage.

Two more runs crossed the plate for Northwest in the fifth inning, thanks to an RBI-single from Brower and a bases loaded walk to Haleigh Buchanan, cementing the Rangers' 18-4 lead.

Brower accounted for four of the Rangers' hits and four RBIs, while Koczka finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs. Armstrong, Bednarek, Harris and Laughter all finished with two hits apiece.

Kaylei Peterson improved to 8-7 in the circle with a one strikeout against three walks in five complete innings. The sophomore from Clinton allowed four runs, but only one was earned.