SENATOBIA - Hosting a red-hot East Central program proved to be no problem for No. 12 Northwest on Friday, as the Rangers took down the Warriors by a pair of 7-4 and 2-0 finals.
Both teams were limited at the plate, as Northwest finished with just nine hits on the day. However, the Rangers got it done when it mattered most, picking up two homers from
McKaylee Polk and one from
Molly Harris.
Northwest was also reslilient in the circle, as
Meagan Allen went the distance to draw the Game 1 victory, while freshman
Gabby Dickerson delivered nine strikeouts and navigated through a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to ensure the win in Game 2.
With the sweep, Northwest improved to 25-9 overall and 15-7 in the MACCC, earning the most single-season victories since a 27-10 finish in 2015. The Rangers also jumped up to third in the MACCC standings, due in part to Pearl River's sweep against Itawamba.
East Central fell to 22-18 and 11-11 in the MACCC. The Warriors came into the day victorious in six of their last eight games, including a split against top-ranked Copiah-Lincoln, which snapped a 27-game winning streak and handed the Wolves their first conference loss.
Next up for Northwest is the regular season home finale against Mississippi Delta on Wednesday, April 20. The doubleheader will also mark the program's Sophomore Day celebration, with game times set for 1/3 P.M. at Ranger Softball Field.
Both games against Mississippi Delta will be carried on Ranger TV (nwccrangers.com/watch) and Facebook Live.
Game 1 - #12 Northwest 7, East Central 4
An eight-strikeout performance for Allen and a pair of two-run home runs from Harris and Polk made the difference for Northwest in the Rangers' Game 1 victory.
East Central got a pair of runners on base in the top half of the first inning, only for Allen to leave them stranded with a strikeout of Jayce Currie. The Warriors would then issue a leadoff walk to
Laila Armstrong and a two-run homer to Polk, giving Northwest the early 2-0 advantage.
After a scoreless second inning for both teams, Currie's two-run single in the top of the third helped the Warriors tie the game. Northwest was quick to respond however, as Harris smashed a two-run bomb over the scoreboard in left field, swinging a 4-2 lead back in favor of the Rangers.
A solo homer from Taylor Pittman in the top of the fifth helped East Central close the gap to a run, but a sac fly from
Kaitlyn Bednarek and an RBI-triple from Allen in the bottom of the fifth helped Northwest push its lead to 6-3.
East Central continued to chip away at the Rangers' lead in the sixth, as Shante Beaulieu made it a 6-4 deficit with an RBI-double to center field. The Rangers would counter once again in the home half of the inning, scoring on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, making it a 7-4 game.
Any chance of a rally from East Central was squashed in the top of the seventh, as the first two Warrior batters grounded out and flew out. Allen would then top things off with a swinging strikeout of Pittman, sealing the win for Northwest.
Allen (7-3) allowed four earned runs, but that was overshadowed by her complete-game performance that featured eight strikeouts and three walks, marking the second-most strikeouts she's earned in a single game. It also marked her fifth consecutive win since a 2-3 start to the season.
Caroline Jackson started the contest for East Central, but was pulled after allowing two earned runs in 1.2 innings. The Warriors then turned to Currie, who took the loss and fell to 2-3 after recording a strikeout and issuing 10 walks in the final 4.1 innings.
Game 2 - #12 Northwest 2, East Central 0
With the bases loaded and two outs on the scoreboard, Dickerson persevered and got East Central's Addison Hardy swinging for the final out, sealing a 2-0 decision for Northwest.
Emmi Harkins delivered the two-out single to start the late-inning drama, keeping the rally alive for the Warriors. Beaulieu followed with a doubel and a hit-by-pitch to Anna Caime loaded the bases, before Dickerson delivered her ninth strikeout of the day at the most critical moment.
Dickerson improved her record to 15-6 and issued only two walks and four hits, delivering the Rangers' seventh shutout of the season.
As for the rest of the game, both teams were held scoreless until
Meredith Owen's double to left field, scoring
Caylee Comer for the game's first run in the second inning. Polk then delivered a solo homer in the third, her team-leading 12th home run, to give Northwest the 2-0 advantage.
From there, East Central pitcher Rae Rae Evans kept the Rangers in check, tossing three scoreless frames after that and four total in her complete-game effort. She delivered five strikeouts and issued no walks, while only surrendering five hits.
Two of the Rangers' five hits came from
Saige Koczka, who finished 2-for-3 with only her second triple of the season.
