SENATOBIA - At first glance, a 20-18 overall record might seem like an average year for some college softball programs.

For those who followed Northwest softball in 2021 however, last year was anything but average for the Rangers.

Numerous weather cancellations and some tough sweeps to conference opponents marred the start of the season for Northwest, but the Rangers recovered in a big way, winning four of the last five games of the season to earn a spot in the MACCC Tournament. From there, Northwest staved off elimination to punch its ticket to the Region 23 Tournament for the first time since 2012, upsetting nationally-ranked host LSU-Eunice and falling just two victories short of the program's first NJCAA Division II World Series appearance.

It marked a major milestone for the Northwest softball program and head coach Chelsea Bramlett, now entering her third season. 

"It's awesome to see the growth that has happened so far," Bramlett said, in regards to last year's success. "This year, the sophomores are playing with a chip on their shoulder this season and the freshmen are starting to see that as well. The freshmen have come in and are doing what they are supposed to, and our returning players are building on that tradition as well. We're really excited about this season and what's to come."

Highlighting the journey for the Rangers was the team's eye-popping performance at the plate. Northwest sported one of the best overall offenses in the nation last season, finishing with a team batting average of .376, ranking 21st in the nation and topping the rest of the MACCC. That lineup included four starters with a .400 batting average or better, along with five other .300 hitters.

As a team, Northwest set or tied single-season records for home runs (51), doubles (83) RBIs (287), hits (410) and slugging percentage (.617), while also earning other milestones. (See full rundown of last season's records here.)

Seven of those nine hitters are returning for the 2022 season, with third-year sophomore Saige Koczka being the most notable. Koczka, who is exercising her COVID-19 eligibility, proved to be a nightmare for opposing pitchers last season, shattering numerous offensive records in her wake. The Southaven native. Memphis commit and reigning NJCAA and NFCA All-American led the Rangers with a .489 batting average, 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .985 slugging percentage, all new single-season records.

However, what makes the returning sophomore core more exciting is the sheer amount of depth behind Koczka. Infielders Kaitlyn Bednarek and Maddie Brower also turned heads with their numbers at the plate last season, with Brower collecting nine homers and 41 RBIs to set new second place totals for both categories in a single season, while edging Koczka for most runs scored in a single season (49).

As for Bednarek, the Southaven native and DeSoto Central product hammered 13 doubles, seven homers and 37 RBIs to rank top five in all three single-season categories. Caylee Comer and Molly Harris also showcased their power at the plate as well, with both players tying for fourth in single-season home runs (6), while also hitting well above .300 at the plate.

Laila Armstrong and Meredith Owen also return to the lineup this season after posting .377 and .320 batting averages, respectively. Owen, another consistent starter, posted a 1.000 fielding percentage in the outfield, while the aforementioned Comer and Koczka each finished with high fielding percentages as well.

While the amount of power at the plate has generated enough excitement, Bramlett believes this year's numbers could be even better.

"We have a little bit of everything this year," Bramlett said. "We have speed, power and most of all, leadership. We're excited to have Meagan back and fully healthy in the circle, and she's looking great. Of course, Saige is looking to break even with what she did last year and that's really the case for most of our sophomores. They know what I expect of them and what they expect out of themselves. Offensively, we are looking as good as last year, but I think we're going to give those stats a run for their money this year."

One struggle Northwest faced last season was the lack of pitching depth, something that unfortunately plagued the Rangers in several games. At least three notable games ended in walk-offs against Northwest, two coming on the road at Hinds and an extra-inning heartbreak to No. 8 Jones College.

Allen and Koczka return from last year's pitching unit, though Koczka will likely play more of role at the plate and in the outfield this season. Overall, Northwest now has six options in the circle, including a slew of freshmen in Randi Johnson (Wheeler), Gabby Dickerson (Lewisburg), Kylee Brown (McNairy Central, Tenn.), Anna Nickens (Senatobia) and Gracie Mettetal (Magnolia Heights).

Several other freshmen are also expected to see playing time or possibly draw starts in the field as well. Even with a stacked sophomore unit, Bramlett is impressed with what she has seen out of her freshman unit thus far.

"It always takes freshmen a little more time to get in the groove of things and to understand a new coach or a new system," Bramlett said. "During the fall, we played in over our heads, which was a culture shock but it also got them in there against some big schools. I think they handled it fairly well and they're all pushing each other and vying for positions. We have a lot in the circle that we can utilize and all of them have a shot to get playing time or draw some starts."

Despite everything that 2022 could shape up to be, the season won't be without its struggles, especially in the early portion of the schedule. Northwest is slated to face several nationally-ranked opponents straight out of the gate, including two games against No. 11 Three Rivers College (Mo.) in the annual Northeast TigerFest. The Rangers are then scheduled to be pitted against No. 9 Parkland College (Ill.) in the Hinds JUCO Classic in Brandon.

From there, things will get tougher as Northwest opens MACCC competition against three ranked opponents - No. 17 Pearl River, No. 5 Itawamba and No. 8 Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Rangers will then hit the road for three more doubleheaders at East Mississippi, Meridian and Northeast, before hosting No. 2 Jones College and later, No. 10 Copiah-Lincoln late in the season.

"There's no doubt that the MACCC is one of the toughest conferences in the country," Bramlett said. "Everything is competitive and every game is stressful. You're in a battle every single day and that's something our sophomores already understand, while our freshmen are starting to understand that as well. All it takes is one inning or one pitch to change a game, so you cannot back down until the final pitch is thrown."

Still, Northwest looks and feels like a team that is poised for a breakout season. Though unranked, the Rangers were one of a handful of teams receiving votes in the NJCAA Division II preseason polls, and the balance of a strong sophomore unit and a budding freshman core has Northwest turning to some lofty, but achievable goals.

"Our girls want to make the World Series," Bramlett said. "We are deeper in the circle with a lot of variety this year, we can hit and our defense is looking solid right now. The biggest obstacle or challenge is the longevity of our season and being able to stay healthy, focused and well-rested. That's something that we have to face as coaches as well. Every team and every game provides us a constant battle, so I'm not so worried about records and things like that, but more about closing out close games and ultimately, making it farther through the postseason than we have before."

Northwest begins its highly-anticipated journey on Wednesday, February 2 against National Park College for a 1/3 P.M. twinbill at the Senatobia Sports Park. Both games will feature broadcast coverage on Ranger TV (nwccrangers.com/watch) and Facebook Live. (NOTE: A full season broadcast schedule will be made available in the coming weeks.)