WESSON - While previewing the year ahead in a
January sit-down, Northwest softball coach
Chelsea Bramlett delivered two statements about her team's goals for the 2022 season.
"Our girls want to make the World Series," Bramlett said, in the January piece. "Offensively, we are looking as good as last year, but I think we're going to give those stats a run for their money this year....every team and every game provides us a constant battle, so I'm not so worried about records and things like that, but more about closing out close games and ultimately, making it farther through the postseason than we have before."
With numerous records already falling throughout the season, Bramlett's second goal came true on Saturday afternoon, as Northwest delivered a 6-3 victory against Northeast. The win moved the Rangers into Sunday's Region 23 Tournament championship game, while also locking up a bid into the NJCAA Division II Championship tournament, both first-time accomplishments for the Northwest softball program.
Much like the most recent matchup between the two teams, Northwest struck first with two runs in the top half of the first inning.
Laila Armstrong delivered a leadoff single and later scored on
McKaylee Polk's RBI-single down the line in left field.
Saige Koczka followed with a bunt single and a throwing error allowed Polk to score, giving the Rangers a 2-0 advantage.
Making her first postseason start, Northwest freshman pitcher
Kylee Brown delivered a scoreless bottom of the first and followed up by holding Northeast scoreless again in the second. Meanwhile, Tigers' pitcher Cassidy Duskin settled in and sent the Rangers down in order over the next two frames.
Northeast began to find some momentum in the bottom of the third, as a hit batter and a walk put two runners on base with no outs. At that moment, the Rangers made the switch from Brown to
Meagan Allen, who shook off Duskin's RBI-single to strike out Alexie Griffin and send Northeast down into a double play to end the inning.
A pair of singles from
Molly Harris and
Caylee Comer set up a fielder's choice in
Kaitlyn Bednarek's at-bat, allowing Harris to score from third to give a 3-1 lead to Northwest in the top half of the fourth inning. However, Northeast would respond in the bottom of the inning, as Tori Harrison's two-run double to left center tied the game at 3-3.
With two outs and the go-ahead Northeast runner on base,
Gabby Dickerson took over in relief and got the final out of the fourth inning. From there, the freshman from Olive Branch retired the side in the fifth and pitched a scoreless frame in the bottom of the sixth.
Desperate for an offensive spark, Northwest got just what the doctor ordered in the top half of the sixth, as Koczka mashed a solo home run to break the tie. Later, Bednarek would send a two-run shot over the wall as well, pushing a 6-3 score in favor of the Rangers.
Although the Rangers were unable to score some insurance runs in the top of the seventh, Dickerson struck out two of the four Northeast batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh, denying the Tigers a rally and securing the historic moment for Northwest.
Northwest outhit Northeast 9-6 in the contest, with Armstrong, Comer and Kockza each finishing 2-for-3 at the plate. Briley Pitt was the only Northeast player to finish with two base hits, finishing 2-for-3.
Dickerson improved to 23-7 in the circle with her victory, striking out five batters and allowing no walks or runs in 3.1 innings of relief. Allen and Brown combined for three strikeouts over the first 3.2 innings.
Duskin was handed the loss in the circle for Northeast, despite issuing four strikeouts over a full seven-inning effort.
With the win, Northwest improved its season record to 34-13 overall. The Rangers will face LSU Eunice on Sunday at noon for the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament title, with an if-necessary game scheduled for 2:00 P.M.
More details on the NJCAA Division II Championship field will be available within the coming days. The tournament will take place from May 24-28 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.
