WESSON - After losing by a run-rule for the first time this season, No. 14 Northwest responded in a big way during Game 2, earning a 5-2 victory and the series split against third-ranked Copiah-Lincoln.

Freshman Gabby Dickerson tied her single-game best of 13 strikeouts in the nightcap and became the Rangers' single-season record-holder in strikeouts, as the Olive Branch native now has 161 on the year and a 17-6 record in the circle. 

Meanwhile, sophomore Laila Armstrong picked up her 51st stolen base of the season in the Game 2 victory, tying Kailey Walker (2016-17) for the all-time record. The Tennessee State commit will need one more stolen base to become the new career record-holder.

With the split, Northwest improved to 28-10 on the season and 18-8 in the MACCC, while Copiah-Lincoln moved to 35-7 overall and 21-5 within the conference. The Rangers now sit in fifth place in the latest conference standings and will close out the regular season schedule on Friday, April 29 at Southwest Mississippi.


Game 1 - #3 Copiah-Lincoln 9, #14 Northwest 0 (5 inn.)

An eight-run fourth inning doomed Northwest in the opener at Copiah-Lincoln, as the Lady Wolves held the Rangers to just one hit in a 9-0 loss.

Scoreless after two and a half innings, Copiah-Lincoln got on the board with an RBI-single in the third, before leading off the fourth with a two-run single. A wild pitch made it a 4-0 deficit for the Rangers and the Lady Wolves added a two-run double, a pair of RBI-singles and a triple to pull away for good.

Saige Koczka delivered the lone hit for Northwest in the Game 1 loss, as four different Lady Wolves came away with two or more hits.

Cera Blanchard got the win for Copiah-Lincoln, improving to 19-4 on the season. Meagan Allen took the loss for Northwest after 3.2 innings of work and three strikeouts.


Game 2 - #14 Northwest 5, #3 Copiah-Lincoln 2

Tied at 2-2 after five innings, Northwest bounced back to score two in the sixth and one in the seventh, earning the 5-2 victory against the Lady Wolves.

Northwest wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in Game 2, as McKaylee Polk drove in Armstrong for a 1-0 lead. Maddie Weeks' groundout in the bottom of the first tied the game up for Copiah-Lincoln, but Dickerson held the Lady Wolves scoreless over the next three frames.

As Dickerson took care of Copiah-Lincoln in the circle, Northwest responded with an RBI-single from Caylee Comer to go ahead 2-1 in the top of the fourth. Despite a tying solo homer from Blanchard in the fifth, the Rangers responded with a two-run single from Kaitlyn Bednarek in the sixth and a double from Polk in the seventh, lifting Northwest to the win.

Dickerson's 13-strikeout effort tied her season-high, as the freshman improved to 17-6 on the season and earned her ninth complete game.  Read Full Article