SENATOBIA - Northwest scattered across 22 total hits on Tuesday afternoon, as the ninth-ranked Rangers swept Jackson State (Tenn.) by a pair of 7-6 and 5-1 finals.
It was the first time in nearly two weeks that the Rangers had seen any competition, thanks to last week's extensive inclement weather pattern. With the sweep, Northwest improved to 9-1 overall, while Jackson State dropped to 1-11 on the season.
Sophomore
Saige Koczka hit a pair of home runs for the afternoon, while
Molly Harris also knocked in one of her own in Game 1.
Meagan Allen notched the save in Game 1, while turning around to claim the victory in the nightcap.
Northwest will be back in action on Saturday, March 12 against Pearl River to open MACCC competition.
Game 1 - Northwest 7, Jackson State (Tenn.) 6
A four-run Jackson State rally in the seventh inning kept Northwest on its toes and cut the lead to a single run, only for Allen to slam the door on the comeback and earn the save in the Rangers' Game 1 victory.
Northwest starter
Gabby Dickerson improved to 5-0 in the circle, but ran into a little trouble in the top of the first, when Zoe Helms and Jayden Newland scored a pair of runs for the GreenJays on back-to-back base hits. From there, the freshman settled in and tossed six strikeouts over the next five scoreless innings.
With one swing of the bat, Koczka cut the Rangers' deficit in half with a solo homer to right during the bottom of the first. Northwest would regain the lead for good in the bottom of the third with back-to-back RBI doubles from
Kaitlyn Bednarek and
Bailey Russell.
With Dickerson settled in, Jackson State was unable to get anything else going through the sixth inning. The story was different for the Rangers in the bottom of the fifth, adding four more runs, with two coming off a home run from Harris.
Leading 7-2 and needing just three more outs, Northwest struggled to diffuse the GreenJays' rally, which was set in motion by three consecutive walks and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. From there, Jackson State got an additional run from another hit batter, pulling within 7-4.
With Allen now in the circle for previous reliever
Kylee Brown, the sophomore allowed a passed ball and an RBI-single to get the GreenJays within a run, only to punch out the final two batters to seal the victory for the Rangers.
At the plate, Northwest was led by a 3-for-3 effort from Polk and two hits apiece from Harris and Koczka. Jackson State was held to seven hits, led by two hits apiece from Helms and Emily Swinney.
Lori Kate Atkins was handed the loss for Jackson State after allowing five earned runs and 10 hits through four innings.
Game 2 - Northwest 5, Jackson State (Tenn.) 1
Scoring came early and often for Northwest through the first four innings of the nightcap, as the Rangers took the sweep with a 5-1 victory against Jackson State.
Koczka got the party started with a two-run homer to right field in her first at-bat, scoring
Laila Armstrong. Allen would tack on an additional run in the bottom of the second with her RBI-single to right field, making it a 3-0 advantage for the Rangers.
McKaylee Polk kept things going in the third with her single through the left side, scoring
Maddie Brower and
Bailey Russell capped off the scoring with a single through the left side in the fourth, sending Northwest to a 5-0 lead.
In the circle, Allen lasted five innings and delivered two strikeouts, keeping the GreenJays off the board despite surrendering three walks and three hits.
Randi Johnson polished off the final two innings, with her lone blemish coming in the sixth inning, when Jackson State spoiled the shutout with an RBI-single to center field.
Allen's victory improved her season record to 2-1, while Lauren Vickery was handed the loss for Jackson State after allowing five earned runs through 3.1 innings.
Northwest finished with eight hits, led by two from Armstrong and one apiece from Allen, Bednarek, Koczka, Polk, Russell and
Caylee Comer. Jackson State earned seven hits in the loss, led by two from Gracie White.
