SENATOBIA - There was a lot to take away from Saturday's split against No. 4 Jones College.
For 11th-ranked Northwest, the doubleheader marked the first regular-season games played on Ranger Softball Field since March 6, 2020, once again giving the Rangers a true home field advantage. With the moment commemorated by a ceremonial first pitch from Northwest President Dr. Michael J. Heindl, the Rangers used a gritty complete-game outing from sophomore
Meagan Allen to take an 11-8 victory against the Bobcats, snapping a 17-game losing skid against Jones College.
Though the Rangers were not victorious in a 7-4 Game 2 loss, Northwest still showed some fight against the Bobcats, clawing back from a six-run hole to score three more runs over the final two innings.
With the split, Northwest moved to 19-7 overall and 9-5 in conference play, while Jones College dropped to 24-7 on the season and 12-2 in the MACCC. The Rangers will host Coahoma on Wednesday, April 6 for a 1/3 P.M. twinbill, with both games carried live on Ranger TV (nwccrangers.com/watch) and Facebook Live.
Game 1 - #11 Northwest 11, #4 Jones College 8
Saturday's opener was a "bend, but don't break" moment for Allen and Northwest. The sophomore pitcher recovered from a rocky third inning to deliver seven strikeouts and a complete-game victory, as the Rangers captured the 11-8 victory against Jones College.
Jones College scored four runs in the top of the third and another in the fourth, prompted by a handful of hits and walks in each inning. However, Allen battled back to limit the damage in the fourth, throw two scoreless innings and close out the seventh to help Northwest defeat the Bobcats for the first time since the 2003 season (
Northwest 9, JC 4; no date recorded).
After Jones got a run on the board in the opening frame, the Rangers responded with two of their own in the bottom of the first, thanks to a fielder's choice that scored
Laila Armstrong from third and a sac fly from
Maddie Brower.
Leading 2-1 entering the third inning, Northwest watched as the Bobcats plated four runs in the third and another in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. Despite being held scoreless over three innings, the Rangers began to gain momentum with
Caylee Comer's two-run double in the fifth, trimming the deficit to 6-4.
After Allen tossed another scoreless frame in the top of the sixth, the Rangers hammered back seven runs in the bottom frame, thanks to a three-run homer from
Saige Koczka and a grand slam by
Kaitlyn Bednarek that pushed Northwest ahead 11-6.
Jones College refused to go down without a fight as the Bobcats battled back to add two more in the top half of the seventh. Although Jones College had the tying run at the plate with two outs, Allen delivered the dagger with her seventh strikeout of the game, sealing the victory for Northwest.
Allen's performance improved her to 4-3 on the season and Northwest outhit Jones College, 13-6. Twelve of the Rangers' hits came from Armstrong, Bednarek, Brower, Comer, Koczka and
McKaylee Polk, with all six players finishing with two hits apiece.
Sarah Ballard went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead Jones Colleg, while Bobcats' ace Nia Luckett allowed nine earned runs and fell to 7-4 on the season.
Game 2 - #4 Jones College 7, #11 Northwest 4
Heavy hitting made the difference for Jones College in the nightcap, as the Bobcats picked up all of their runs on home runs to salvage the split at Northwest, 7-4.
Northwest struck first in the bottom of the first inning, as Koczka made it a 1-0 lead on a sac fly to right field. However, Lindsay Henson responded with a two-run homer in the top of the second to give the Bobcats the lead for good.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth, when Bobcats' pitcher Holly Craft sent a solo homer to left field to lead off the inning. Ballard would follow with a rare inside-the-park homer to make it a 4-1 lead for Jones College.
A three-run homer from Henson gave the Bobcats a 7-1 cushion in the top of the sixth, but the Rangers would get two runs back in the bottom half of the inning, pulling within 7-3.
Northwest tried for some late-inning magic in the home half of the seventh, but could only muster an RBI-double from Koczka. Craft quickly collected the final two outs from there, helping Jones College to the Game 2 victory.
Craft improved to 8-1 on the season with her complete game effort, dishing four strikeouts against two walks.
Gabby Dickerson struck out five for Northwest, but allowed all seven runs and fell to 12-4 in the circle.
Henson led all Jones College hitters by finishing 2-for-3 with five RBIs, while Armstrong went 2-for-4 to lead the Rangers.
