SENATOBIA - Saturday was a historic day for McKaylee "K.K." Polk and the fourth-ranked Northwest softball team.
After battling to a 5-1 win against Southwest Mississippi in the MACCC opener, Polk and the Rangers broke out the bats in a big way during the 17-1 run-rule victory in Game 2. The Senatobia sophomore made history in the home half of the first inning, smashing a solo homer to left center for her 27th career home run, shattering the career record previously held by former teammate
Saige Koczka (2020-22).
Polk would go on to mash two additional home runs in the same game, including a grand slam, finishing 3-for-3 with seven RBIs. In total, the Rangers combined for 22 base hits on the day, with 16 of those coming in the finale.
With the sweep, Northwest jumped to 13-1 on the season and earned a 2-0 start in MACCC play. Meanwhile, the Lady Bears dropped to 10-10 overall and 0-2 against conference competition.
Next up for the Rangers is crucial conference test against No. 5 Copiah-Lincoln on Saturday, March 18. The Lady Wolves (13-5) will make a visit to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Wednesday, March 15 to open their MACCC slate.
Saturday's twinbill with Co-Lin is slated for 1/3 P.M., with both games available to watch on
Ranger TV.
Game 1 - #4 Northwest 5, Southwest Mississippi 1
Clinging to a narrow 2-1 lead after five innings, Northwest broke the game open in the home half of the sixth, as the Rangers added three more runs to secure the 5-1 victory.
Two errors in the bottom of the second set up the game's first run, as
Anna Nickens scored on an error at third base.
Kara Johnson widened the gap to 2-0 in the home half of the third, thanks to an RBI-double to center that scored
Kaylee Owens.
A wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed the Lady Bears to gain a run back in the top of the fourth, while Southwest Mississippi pitcher Mia Pumila retired the side over the next two innings. It wasn't until the bottom of the sixth where the Rangers would respond, as Nickens followed up a leadoff single and a walk to score Polk on an RBI-single to left field.
As the Rangers made it a 3-1 lead,
Allyson Harrison made sure Northwest picked up some insurance runs on a two-run single to right field, pushing the score to 5-1.
Gabby Dickerson then closed out the win in the top half of the seventh, improving to 6-0 in the circle.
Though Dickerson issued four walks, the sophomore from Olive Branch limited the damage through a full seven innings, striking out six batters and allowing one unearned run. Northwest scattered six base hits across the lineup, while Southwest Mississippi was limited to three.
Pumila pitched the entire game for the Lady Bears, keeping her team within striking distance for five of her six innings thrown. Her record dropped to 3-4 on the season after surrendering four earned runs and a walk.
Game 2 - #4 Northwest 17, Southwest Mississippi 1 (5 inn.)
Polk's historical solo homer was just the tip of the iceberg for Northwest, as the Rangers cranked out 16 hits in a quick run-rule victory.
A 1-0 Northwest lead quickly expanded with a four-run frame in the second, as
Madeline Houk and
Reese Vanlandingham knocked in runs on back-to-back doubles. Polk then delivered a two-run homer to close out the second inning, stretching the Rangers' lead to 5-0.
Things went from bad to worse for the Lady Bears in the third inning. After a 1-2-3 frame from
Allyson Harrison and the Rangers, Northwest pushed a whopping eight runs across the plate in the bottom of the third, effectively putting the game away for good.
A leadoff walk to Nickens set the stage, as Harrison followed with a single through the left side. After Nickens scored on Houk's RBI-single, Vanlandingham would load the bases with a single of her own, which led to a bases-loaded walk to
Kaylee Owens and Polk's grand slam, moving the Rangers' lead to 11-0.
However, Northwest was not quite done with the third inning. With two outs on the board, Harrison and
Crista Wilson knocked in two more runs on back-to-back singles, giving the Rangers a sizable 13-0 advantage.
Though Kacey Stampley's solo home run spoiled the shutout in the top of the fourth, the lone run did little to slow the Rangers' momentum. Using mostly reserves, Northwest plated four more runs in the home half of the inning, thanks to a sac fly from
Neely Cooper, a two-run single from
Bailey Russell and another RBI-single up the middle from Houk.
Harrison improved to 5-0 in the circle after tossing three full innings, earning five strikeouts with a lone walk and no hits or runs allowed.
Kylee Brown and
Caylie Streich tossed the final two innings in relief.
Emme Wallace started the game for Southwest Mississippi and was handed the loss after surrendering seven runs in just two innings of work. Lana Dalton, Lana Bridges and Angelle Delcambre all pitched in relief for the Lady Bears, with each player earning one strikeout each.
Aside from Polk's career-defining effort, Harrison and Houk also finished with three hits each, followed by two from Vanlandingham. Five other Rangers finished with one hit apiece, while Southwest Mississippi was limited to just two base hits.
