SENATOBIA - No. 12 Pearl River used a three-run homer and a grand slam to take a 9-4 win in Game 1, but it was ninth-ranked Northwest that got the last laugh in the nightcap, as the Rangers shutout the Wildcats, 2-0, in Monday's MACCC debut.
Freshman
Kylee Brown delivered a strong outing in the circle to help lift the Rangers to the Game 2 victory, striking out a career-high six batters in 4.2 innings of work and improving to 3-0 on the season.
Gabby Dickerson polished things off to earn the save, rebounding from the loss in the opener.
At the plate,
Laila Armstrong went 4-for-6 on the day with a triple in Game 2, while
Caylee Comer finished 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the sixth inning of the nightcap.
With the split, Northwest moved to 11-3 overall and 1-1 in MACCC competition, while Pearl River moved to 11-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play. During the doubleheader, the latest batch of NJCAA rankings were also released, with both the Rangers and Wildcats holding at the No. 9 and No. 12 spots, respectively.
Northwest will now turn its attention to Wednesday's home doubleheader against No. 5 Itawamba (14-2, 0-2 MACCC). The Lady Indians were previously ranked No. 1 in the polls, but were swept over the weekend by No. 3 Jones College to open conference play.
Wednesday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1/3 P.M. start times at the Senatobia High School field. Both games will be carried on Ranger TV (nwccrangers.com/watch) and Facebook Live.
Game 1 - #12 Pearl River 9, #9 Northwest 4
Despite leading 3-0 after three innings in the books, Northwest surrendered nine unanswered runs over the final four innings, falling 9-4 at the hands of 12th-ranked Pearl River.
Pearl River did most of its damage with two outs in both the fifth and sixth innings, taking a 4-3 lead on a three-run homer from Julianah Overstreet in the fifth and a grand slam from Hannah Miller in the sixth, which stretched the Wildcats' lead to 8-3.
Prior to the homers from the Wildcats, it was Northwest that got on the board first, as
Molly Harris delivered a two-run single to center field that scored Armstrong and
Saige Koczka. Harris would add another in the bottom of the third, scoring off a wild pitch that gave the Rangers the 3-0 advantage.
Though the Rangers were able to get runs off of Brinson Anne Rogers early, the nation's runner-up in total strikeouts quickly silenced the Northwest bats the rest of the way. In turn, Pearl River began to chip away at Dickerson's start, earning the first run off Cassidy Cartwright's triple to left field in the top of the fourth.
With two outs and two runners on, Pearl River hit the jackpot in the top of the fifth with Overstreet's three-run bomb to center field that helped the Wildcats take a 4-3 advantage. After Rogers sent the Rangers down in order in the bottom of the fifth, Pearl River drew a pair of walks and a single with two outs to load the bases, setting up the grand slam from Miller.
Northwest tried to answer back in the bottom of the sixth but left runners on second and third. The Wildcats added another run for insurance in the top of the seventh, as Cartwright scored on an error that brought the lead to 9-3.
McKaylee Polk led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to left field and walk to
Maddie Brower provided some glimpse of a rally for the Rangers. However, despite adding a run on a wacky fielder's choice, Northwest was unable to come any closer, falling 9-4 in the opener.
Pearl River outhit Northwest 9-6 in the contest, led by a 2-for-3 effort from Miller. Armstrong led the Rangers with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate, with Harris, Polk,
Meagan Allen and
Meredith Owen adding one hit each.
Dickerson (6-1) was handed her first loss in the circle, issuing seven strikeouts against five walks and eight earned runs allowed in 5.2 total innings. Allen finished off the remaining 1.1 frames, surrendering a run and earning a strikeout.
Rogers totaled 11 strikeouts in the Game 1 victory, moving to 115 strikeouts on the season. She also surrendered four walks and four runs, but only two earned runs.
Game 2 - #9 Northwest 2, #12 Pearl River 0
A pitcher's duel broke out in the nightcap for both teams, with the freshman arm Brown getting the better of Pearl River in a 2-0 victory.
Brown improved to 3-0 in the circle with the win, lasting 4.2 innings and dishing six strikeouts. Dickerson redeemed herself with a solid relief outing that lasted 2.1 innings, earning her the save.
Scoreless after the first two innings, Northwest finally got something cooking in the bottom of the third, leading things off with
Haleigh Buchanan's double to center field. Armstrong then reached first on a bunt single and stole second on the next at-bat, resulting in an errant throw from the catcher that sent her to third and Buchanan across the plate for the Rangers' first run.
After being held in check through the first four innings, Pearl River began to threaten in the top half of the fifth, earning three singles and loading the bases with two outs. Dickerson then entered for Brown and forced the Wildcats' pinch hitter into a flyout to left that ended the threat.
Despite a triple from Armstrong in the home half of the fifth, Northwest was unable to expand upon its narrow 1-0 lead. However, after a great defensive inning by Dickerson and the Rangers in the sixth, Northwest put an additional run across the plate on Comer's double to center field, taking the 2-0 advantage.
With two outs in the top of the seventh, the Wildcats were issued a walk to leadoff hitter Taelor York, bringing up Miller's dangerous bat as the tying run. There would be no heavy hit in store for Pearl River this time around though, as Miller grounded out to short for the third and final out, sealing the shutout victory for Northwest.
Northwest finished with six hits in the win, led by a 2-for-3 outing from Armstrong and hits from Buchanan, Comer, Polk and
Gracie Mettetal. Pearl River scattered five hits across its lineup and committed two errors in the loss.
Hannah Embry went the distance for the Wildcats, but dropped to 4-5 on the season with five strikeouts against four walks and two earned runs allowed.
