Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SUMMIT - A strong 9-0 performance in the opener for Northwest was marred a bit by a 11-3 run-rule loss in the nightcap, as the 13th-ranked Rangers ended the regular season with a split at Southwest Mississippi on Friday.
Freshman
McKaylee Polk went 4-for-6 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs in the doubleheader, while
Gabby Dickerson picked up her 18th win of the year, the most by any Northwest freshman in the circle since Lacie McCulley's 24-4 mark during the 2005 season.
With the split, Northwest concludes the regular season at 29-11 overall and 19-9 in the MACCC. The Rangers' overall record matches the most wins in a single season since 2014, while the 19 conference wins are the most since 2015.
Southwest Mississippi moved to 25-14 on the season and 12-14 within the conference. The Lady Bears have one final doubleheader remaining on Sunday, May 1 at Mississippi Delta.
For Northwest, the Rangers will turn their attention to the MACCC Tournament, slated for May 4-7 in Ellisville. Hosted by regular season conference champion Jones College, the tournament will begin in a double elimination format and the top five remaining teams will advance to the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament, joining LSU-Eunice.
More information on the tournament brackets, matchups and ticket details will be posted over the coming days on nwccrangers.com.
Game 1 - #13 Northwest 9, Southwest Mississippi 0 (5 inn.)
Home runs by Polk and
Jaclyn Carter helped Northwest create some separation in the opener, as the Rangers cruised to a run-rule victory against Southwest Mississippi.
Northwest opened up with four quick runs in the top half of the first inning, starting with an RBI-single from
Saige Koczka. A wild pitch would then score Polk from third and a two-run single from
Caylee Comer put the Lady Bears behind early.
An error helped the Rangers get one across in the second before another four-run frame in the top of the third put the game away. Carter's first career home run highlighted the big third inning, as her three-run shot was followed by a solo homer from Polk.
Leading 9-0, Dickerson took care of the rest, keeping Southwest Mississippi off the board over the remaining three frames. The freshman (18-6) struck out four batters and allowed only one walk in five shutout innings.
Comer and Polk led Northwest at the plate with a pair of 2-for-3 efforts, while Koczka went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. The Lady Bears were led by 3-for-3 performances by Lilli Robertson and Kacey Stampley.
Jensen Gremillion took the loss in the circle for Southwest Mississippi after surrendering the Rangers' four first inning runs. She was replaced by Emme Wallace, who finished the remaining four innings with five runs allowed.
Game 2 - Southwest Mississippi 11, Northwest 3 (6 inn.)
A back-and-forth battle over five innings quickly turned sour for Northwest in the bottom of the sixth, as Southwest Mississippi blasted eight runs in the inning to take the run-rule victory in the nightcap.
Southwest Mississippi highlighted the big inning with a grand slam off the bat of Bailey Buckley, which turned a 3-3 tie into a 7-3 deficit. The Lady Bears continued to pour it on with two outs in the frame, sending the Rangers home with the loss.
Northwest jumped ahead 1-0 in the top half of the first, thanks to an RBI-single from
Maddie Brower. However, Southwest Mississippi would get a two-run double with two outs to make it a 2-1 lead for the Lady Bears.
Neither team would score again until the top of the fourth, when Comer would tie the game up by crossing the plate on a bases-loaded error. Polk would then bring in
Kaitlyn Bednarek on a bases-loaded single, putting the Rangers back ahead at 3-2.
However, the Lady Bears would respond yet again in the bottom of the fourth, as Robertson would deliver the tying run on an RBI-single. Northwest left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, before Southwest Mississippi's 10-run inning sealed the win.
Polk's 2-for-3 effort in the circle led all Northwest batters.
Meagan Allen was handed the loss after 5.2 innings of work in the circle, falling to 8-5 on the season.
Gremillion started the second game for the Lady Bears and rebounded for the win, going all six innings with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. Aundria Eirls went 2-for-3 to lead Southwest Mississippi at the plate.
