SENATOBIA - Wesley Lester's three-run homer in Game 1 served as the most notable highlight in Friday's split against Lake Land College at Jim Miles Field.
Northwest took the first game by an 8-7 final and fell to the Lakers in the nightcap, 2-0. The Rangers' record now stands at 2-4 on the season, while Lake Land improved to 4-5 overall.
Freshman
Connor Spencer picked up his first career win on the mound in Game 1, while also going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs. As a team, Northwest finished with 12 hits on the day, seven of those coming in the Game 1 victory.
Northwest will host Jackson State on Tuesday for a 2/5 P.M. doubleheader before traveling to Wallace State-Hanceville on Saturday, February 26.
Game 1 - Northwest 8, Lake Land 7
Northwest fell behind 2-0 in the third inning and 6-5 in the fifth, but the Rangers successfully rallied both times to hold on to the one-run victory in Friday's opener.
After dodging scoring threats from Lake Land in the top of the first and second innings, freshman pitcher
Brayden Sanders ran into a little trouble in the third inning, giving up a bases loaded walk and an RBI-grounder to second.
Trailing 2-0, Northwest responded with a four-run frame in the bottom of the third, starting with
Ryan Lee's sac fly to center. Lester then came up to the plate and blasted the Rangers' first homer of the season, a three-run shot to left field that put Northwest ahead 4-2.
Spencer further stretched the Rangers' lead in the fourth inning, sending an RBI-single to right field that brought in
Landon Rogers for a 5-2 advantage.
Lake Land posted a four-run total of its own in the top of the fifth and regained a one-run lead, thanks to an Anthony Fornerro homer and a two-run single to right from Jacob Walker.
Lake Land's lead would be brief however, as
Landon Rogers RBI-single and a two-run double from Spencer put the Rangers back ahead 8-6 in the bottom of the fifth.
Although the Lakers would threaten once more in the bottom of the seventh, Northwest closer
John Luke Marlin limited the damage and allowed just one run, as the Rangers held on for the team's first home victory.
Sanders delivered seven strikeouts despite a shortened four-inning start, allowing a pair of earned runs and four walks. Marlin posted one strikeout and earned his first save of the season.
Walker's two hits and two RBIs led the Lakers at the plate, which included a triple. Gabe Phipps lasted three innings on the mound for Lake Land, delivering four strikeouts. Nash Mose's two innings of relief resulted in four strikeouts, but with three runs allowed, the reliever was credited with the loss.
Game 2 - Lake Land 2, Northwest 0
Despite five hits apiece from both teams, it was Lake Land's Austin Baker that made the difference, as the pitcher kept Northwest off the board through nearly five innings of work to hand the Rangers a loss.
Baker picked up the win for the Lakers and finished with five strikeouts against a walk, while Liam McKillop earned the save for Lake Land with 2.1 scoreless innings and three strikeouts.
Neither team scored until the third inning, when Walker scored on a fielding error to deliver the Lakers' first run. Lake Land would remain scoreless until the top of the seventh, as Justin Prager's RBI-single scored Bryan Belo for a 2-0 lead.
Northwest had multiple chances to get on the scoreboard, the most notable coming in the bottom of the fifth when the Rangers left
Brady Logan stranded at third. The Rangers also had an opportunity in the sixth, but Lee was caught stealing at third base for the second out of the inning.
Northwest finished with five hits to its credit, led by a 2-for-3 effort from Lester. Lee, Logan and
Caleb Hobson also earned one hit apiece.
Zach Willingham (0-2) was credited with the loss after four innings and two strikeouts. C.J. Lofton posted 2.2 solid innings of relief and
Jake Savage closed out the final out in the seventh inning.
