DECATUR - A six-run second inning set the tone for a big day for No. 20 East Central, as Northwest fell 13-5 to the Warriors in Game 2 of Saturday's Region 23 Qualifier series.

With the loss, Northwest saw its season come to an end with a 24-18 overall record, marking the 14th full season with a winning record under coach Mark Carson. The Rangers have also finished with 20 wins or more in every season since 1995, excluding the shortened COVID-19 season in 2020, where Northwest posted a 14-1 record.

"I sure am proud of the year we had," Northwest head coach Mark Carson stated afterwards. "Each one of these guys poured themselves into the program every day and I cannot thank them enough. This will always be a special group and I am eager to watch our departing sophomores move on to bigger things."

Both teams came up empty-handed in the first inning, before East Central broke things open with a two-run homer from Austin Lee in the bottom of the second. Clayton Cook then sent a two-run double to right center, followed by a pair of RBI-singles from Roper Ball and Amani Larry, giving the Warriors a 6-0 advantage.

Northwest sliced the deficit in half in the top of the third, thanks to a three-run homer from Kelton Hall that scored Peyton Puckett and Caleb Hobson. However, the Rangers' momentum was short-lived, as East Central gained a run back in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a single from R.J. Fletcher.

Trailing 7-3 entering the fourth, Northwest saw its Region 23 Tournament hopes slip further away with another big inning from the Warriors. After Larry's solo homer to left center, East Central would add another run off a double and an error in right field, allowing Jesse Boydstun to score from first base.

A two-run single from Fletcher helped East Central cap off the bottom of the fourth inning with an expanded 11-3 advantage.

Hall once again tried to spark a Ranger rally in the top of the fifth, as the sophomore infielder smoked an RBI-double to right center. The Ingomar native would once again help cut into the deficit in the top of the seventh, thanks to an RBI-single that skipped past the shortstop.

Leading 11-5, East Central clinched the series for good with a two-run bomb from Cook in the bottom of the seventh.

Northwest was outhit 15-8 in the contest, led by a 3-for-3, five RBI effort from Hall. Puckett also went 2-for-3 on the day with a walk, while Hobson, Peyton Mills and Cade Spratlin tallied one hit each.

East Central picked up at least one hit from everyone in the batting order, led by three from Fletcher and two apiece from Ball, Cook, Larry and Lee.

John Luke Marlin (2-3) started on the mound for Northwest, but was pulled during the Warriors' six-run second inning. Colton Presley came on in relief and struck out a batter, but allowed five runs (two unearned) in 2.0 complete innings. Joel Wilkinson then concluded the final three innings with a strong five-strikeout performance, with the walk-off homer being his only blemish.

Jeremy Martin (5-2) struck out seven and earned the win for East Central, thanks to a seven-strikeout effort in 4.1 innings. Ball and Gates Pee polished off the remaining 2.2 innings, combining for four strikeouts and one earned run.