Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOONEVILLE - A pitcher's duel went in favor of No. 11 Northwest in Game 1 and the Rangers scored 11 runs in the nightcap, taking a 2-0 and 11-5 sweep at Northeast on Tuesday afternoon.
Northwest collected seven hits in the opener and were paced by a complete-game, 10-strikeout effort from
Gabby Dickerson. The freshman arm also came in for 2.2 innings of relief in Game 2, slamming the door on a Northeast rally with five strikeouts and no runs given up.
Northwest combined for 16 hits in the sweep, with
Kaitlyn Bednarek and
Meredith Owen leading the Rangers with two hits apiece in Game 1.
Laila Armstrong and
McKaylee Polk came away with two hits each for Northwest in the nightcap.
Tuesday's victories marked the third consecutive sweep for the Rangers, improving Northwest to 18-6 overall and 8-4 against MACCC competition. Meanwhile, Northeast dropped to 18-10 on the season and 5-5 in conference play.
Northwest will begin a three-date homestand on Saturday, April 2 against No. 4 Jones College. Games are slated for 1/3 P.M. and will mark the re-opening of Ranger Softball Field, returning the Rangers to the on-campus facility for the first time since March 6, 2020.
Saturday's contests against Jones College will be carried on Ranger TV (nwccrangers.com/watch) and Facebook Live.
Game 1 - #11 Northwest 2, Northeast 0
After going scoreless through five innings, Northwest broke the ice with a two-out, two-run single from Bednarek in the top of the sixth to make the difference in a close 2-0 victory against Northeast.
Northwest scattered seven hits across the lineup and had chances to score in other innings, primarily in the fifth when the Rangers got two leadoff singles. However, Northeast starter Cassidy Duskin kept the Rangers off the board until Bednarek's sixth-inning single, finishing with six strikeouts against a walk in seven full innings.
On the flip side, Dickerson also cooled the Northeast bats, keeping the Tigers limited to a lone hit in the contest. The freshman from Olive Branch tossed 10 strikeouts in the victory, surrendering only one walk in a complete-game effort.
Bednarek and Owen led the Rangers with two hits apiece, while Polk,
Maddie Brower and
Jaclyn Carter collected one hit each. Briley Pitt accounted for the Tigers' only hit.
Game 2 - #11 Northwest 11, Northeast 5
Northwest scored four in the top of the third and scored at least one run over the following three innings, earning the 11-5 triumph in the nightcap at Northeast.
Scoreless after two complete, the Rangers got four on the board with back-to-back fielder's choice plays from Armstrong and Koczka. Polk would then drive in two runs on a double to left field and
Molly Harris' sac fly would keep the scoring going for Northwest.
Pitt helped Northeast get on the board in the bottom of the third with her two-run homer, but the Rangers responded with a two-run double from Armstrong in the fourth to push the lead to 6-2.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Owen delivered another Northwest run on a single to make it a 7-2 advantage. Although the Tigers would load the bases and tack on three more in the home half of the fifth, the Rangers blew the game open for good with a four-run sixth inning, pulling away for the 11-5 victory.
Armstrong and Polk led Northwest with two hits each, while Duskin went 4-for-4 to lead Northeast.
Kylee Brown lasted three innings and held on for the win in the circle, striking out three batters against two walks, while Dickerson tossed five strikeouts in relief to pick up the save.
