By: Brian Lentz
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MOORHEAD - Needing two wins to keep its postseason chances within reach, Northwest picked up a much-needed road sweep at Mississippi Delta on Wednesday afternoon, as the Rangers earned a pair of 14-0 and 7-6 victories.
With the sweep, Northwest improved to 21-19 on the season and 11-13 in conference play, securing the program's 27th straight season with 20 or more wins.
(The current streak dates all the way back to the 1995 season and does not count the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.)
Mississippi Delta fell to eighth in the conference standings after the two losses, as the Trojans dropped to 17-17 overall and 12-10 against MACCC opponents. The Rangers are currently holding on to 10th place, needing to break into the top nine in order to reach the postseason.
Northwest will conclude the regular season with a six-game homestand, beginning with a doubleheader against Copiah-Lincoln on Saturday, April 23. The Rangers will then host Jackson State (Tenn.) in a non-conference tilt on Tuesday, April 26 and Southwest Mississippi on Friday, April 29.
Game 1 - Northwest 14, Mississippi Delta 0 (6 inn.)
Northwest scored early and often in the series opener, as the Rangers defeated Mississippi Delta in a shortened run-rule contest.
Two runs crossed the plate for the Rangers in the top half of the first inning, thanks to an RBI-double from
Ryan Lee and a single from
Cameron Lancaster. Northwest would add three more in the top of the second, as a leadoff walk set up and a Trojans' error set up an RBI-single from Rogers to score one of the runs.
Although the Rangers were held scoreless in the third inning, Northwest tacked on three additional runs in the fourth, thanks to a two-run triple from Lancaster and a 5-3 RBI from
Wesley Lester, pushing the lead to 8-0 entering the fifth.
Meanwhile,
Zach Willingham continued to deal on the mound, throwing six scoreless frames with eight strikeouts and no walks given up. The sophomore's effort on the mound boosted his season record to 6-3 and bumped the Cleveland native's strikeout total to 55, the most among the Rangers' pitching staff.
Northwest broke things open for good in the fifth inning, scoring the remaining six runs off a bases-loaded walk, a two-run double from
Tyler Byrd and a fielder's choice in
Dawson Griffin's at-bat. Willingham then retired three of the Trojans' four batters in the top of the sixth, ending the game with a strikeout looking.
Northwest finished the game with nine hits, including a 3-for-5 effort from Rogers and two hits apiece from Griffin and Lancaster.
Baylor Leonard was handed the loss for Mississippi Delta, after surrendering seven earned runs in the first 3.1 innings. The Trojans' starter struck out three Rangers, but issued five walks and allowed six of the nine Northwest hits.
Mississippi Delta finished with seven hits in the contest, led by a 3-for-3 effort from Tyrell Burnett.
Game 2 - Northwest 7, Mississippi Delta 6
Despite a seventh-inning rally from the Trojans that put the go-ahead run on base, Northwest closer
Connor Spencer shut down the comeback with a pair of strikeouts, preserving the Game 2 sweep and the win for the Rangers.
Much like Game 1, the Rangers came out swinging in the top half of the first inning, scoring three runs off a single from Lee, a sac fly from Lester and a balk that scored Lee from third base. Northwest would add three more in the second inning off an error, a sac fly from Rogers and an RBI-single from Lee, stretching the Rangers' advantage to 6-0.
Just when it seemed like Northwest was destined for another quick game, Mississippi Delta mounted a comeback. The Trojans plated four runs in the home half of the second inning, sparked by two walks and a single to load the bases. Davione Hull would drive in a pair of runs on his double and two more walks allowed the Trojans to close the gap to 6-4.
Mississippi Delta added another run in the third to pull back within one, before
Hunter Cramer rounded the bases to help Northwest push back in the top of the fourth, making it a 7-5 lead for the Rangers. The score would hold until the top of the seventh, when a fielder's choice with two outs and the bases loaded brought the Trojans back within a run.
With the go-ahead run at third base and another on the corners, Spencer delivered a swinging strikeout to Kieran Theriot near the top of the Trojans' lineup to end the game with the Rangers on top.
Northwest finished with seven hits in the contest, led by a trio of 2-for-3 performances from Cramer, Lancaster and Lee. The Rangers used five pitchers in the contest and combined for eight strikeouts, led by three from
Josh Hill in his 1.2 innings of relief.
Chris Smith was handed the loss for Mississippi Delta, despite issuing seven strikeouts in six complete innings. The Trojans' starter also allowed all seven of the Rangers' earned runs and walked five batters.
