SENATOBIA - Northwest picked up a 12-0 run-rule victory in Tuesday's opener against Northeast, but the Tigers deprived the Rangers of the sweep, taking the nightcap by a 12-8 decision.
Zach Willingham tossed six strikeouts across five scoreless innings in Game 1, improving his record on the mound to 3-3. Northwest also scattered 10 hits across the opener, led by three from
Dawson Griffin and two apiece from
Tyler Byrd and
Wesley Lester.
With the split, the Rangers remained at .500 with a 14-14 overall record and dropped to 4-8 against MACCC competition. Northeast moved to 12-11 on the year and 3-7 in conference play.
Northwest now begins an extended road swing over the next week and a half, facing off against Jones College, Coahoma and Hinds in the upcoming stretch. The Rangers will kick things off on Saturday, April 2 at Jones College, squaring off with the Bobcats for a 2/5 P.M. twinbill in Ellisville.
Game 1 - Northwest 12, Northeast 0 (5 inn.)
Northwest scored a run in every inning, but it was a six-run frame in the bottom of the fourth that broke things open in a 12-0 run-rule victory against Northeast.
Lester got the Rangers on the board with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the first, scoring
Caleb Hobson and
Cameron Lancaster. Byrd then doubled to left in the second inning, helping push Northwest to a 3-0 advantage.
Northwest picked up three more runs in the third inning, starting with Lancaster's double to right and an RBI-single from Griffin. Byrd capped off the scoring with a sac fly to right that allowed Lester to score from third, pushing the Rangers' lead to 6-0.
With Northeast unable to get anything going in the top of the fourth, the Rangers put the game away in the fourth with the six-run spurt.
Alan Kivett crossed the plate first on a wild pitch, followed by a bases-loaded walk to
Peeko Townsend that scored
Ryan Lee. A balk, an error and a two-run single from Griffin accounted for the remaining runs for Northwest.
With a 12-0 lead behind him, Willingham closed the game out early with a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning, sealing the Rangers' first run-rule victory of the season.
Griffin paced the Rangers with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate that included a double and three RBIs. Byrd and Lester each finished 2-for-2 and both players collected a double and two RBIs.
Willingham struck out six batters and allowed no walks, while only surrendering two hits. Davis Oswalt (2-2) was handed the loss for Northeast after allowing six earned runs in three complete innings of work.
Game 2 - Northeast 12, Northwest 8
Northwest started off hot with a 3-0 lead, but Northeast quickly rebounded with three home runs and 12 runs across five innings as the Tigers took the nightcap from the Rangers, 12-8.
Both teams scored at least one run in five of the seven innings, but the Tigers created some separation with a five-run frame in the top of the fourth. Northeast was also helped by three home runs as part of a 10-hit output.
Kivett got things started off right for Northwest in the bottom of the first, scoring
Caleb Hobson on an RBI-single up the middle. Lancaster doubled to right-center to make it 2-0 and a sac fly from
Brady Logan made it a 3-0 advantage for the home team.
However, Northeast would erase the lead over the next two innings, starting with a solo homer from Lock Elliott in the second and three more runs in the third, making it 4-3 in favor of the Tigers.
Northwest briefly regained a 5-4 lead after scoring two in the bottom of the third, but that would be the last time the Rangers would hold the lead. The Tigers regained control with a three-run bomb from Logan Bland in the top of the fourth and a two-run shot from Noah Foster, pushing Northwest into a 9-5 deficit.
Lee helped the Rangers get a run back in the bottom half of the fourth with his solo home run, his team-leading eighth home run of the season. However, the Tigers plated two more in the fifth to widen the gap to 11-6.
Byrd doubled into left field to get a run back for Northwest, but a wild pitch sent another run across the plate for Northeast to start the seventh. Although the Rangers would score one last time in the home half of the seventh, there was no late-inning magic in store for Northwest.
Northwest scattered nine hits across the lineup, with Byrd and
Landon Rogers accounting for two apiece. Seven of the Rangers' hits were good for extra bases, as Lee's homer led the way, followed by a pair of triples from Hobson and Rogers, along with four doubles from Byrd, Lancaster, Logan and Rogers.
Khi Holiday led Northeast at the plate after going 0-for-2 in Game 1, finishing 3-for-5 with a double in the nightcap. Foster and McCoy each finished 2-for-4 for the Tigers, combining for five RBIs.
Jaylon Buckley (0-2) was handed the loss in his brief relief appearance, allowing the two go-ahead runs for Northeast in the fourth.
John Luke Marlin started the contest, but lasted 2.2 innings with one strikeout, two walks and three hit batters.
In all, Northwest used six pitchers in the loss, with
Connor Spencer making the most of his relief appearance, striking out three batters in 1.1 innings of work.
Jackson Conn (1-0) collected the victory for Northeast, striking out three batters and walking two, while allowing six earned runs. Hayden Donahue tossed the final two innings in relief for the Tigers, allowing an additional run against three strikeouts.
