WESSON - Northwest broke out the bats in a weekend road sweep at Copiah-Lincoln on Saturday, combining for 21 base hits in a pair of 9-6 and 4-3 victories against the Wolves.
Sophomore closer
Brayden Sanders finished off both contests with a pair of saves, moving his season total up to seven. Reigning MACCC Pitcher of the Week
Brooks Rice recorded the victory in Game 1, while
Logan Eldridge picked up his second win of the season in the nightcap.
Freshman
Matthew Roncalli went 3-for-4 at the plate in Game 1, while
Cade Leatherwood finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lead the bats in the finale.
With the sweep, the Rangers move to 15-9 on the season and 3-1 in MACCC play. Northwest will return home for a pair of back-to-back conference doubleheaders, beginning with Mississippi Delta on Tuesday, March 21 at 2/5 P.M.
Game 1 - Northwest 9, Copiah-Lincoln 6
A four-run frame in the top of the fifth inning made the difference for Northwest, as the Rangers held off a two-run rally from Copiah-Lincoln in the eighth.
Northwest led 1-0 entering the bottom of the second, until the Wolves tacked on a pair of runs and added one each over the next two innings, taking a 4-1 lead. The Rangers then responded with the four-run frame and added two more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, regaining a sizable 9-4 advantage.
Though the Wolves would pull back within three runs in the bottom of the eighth, Sanders closed the door on any rally attempt in the ninth, securing the opener for the Rangers.
Roncalli finished 3-for-4 with an RBI to pace Northwest at the plate, while
Cy Craig,
Jacob Hill and
Peyton Martin finished with two base hits each. Of the Rangers' 14 base hits, five were for extra bases, highlighted by triples from Hill and Martin.
Rice (3-0) lasted six full innings, striking out three batters against two hits, three earned runs and seven walks.
Zach Beasley also tossed two innings of relief, striking out two Wolves against two walks and an earned run.
Hayden Babineaux led Copiah-Lincoln at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort that included a triple and an RBI. Cooper Williams was dealt the loss on the mound, after allowing five earned runs in two relief innings.
Game 2 - Northwest 4, Copiah-Lincoln 3
With the game tied at 1-1 entering the seventh inning, Northwest scraped across three runs while stopping a two-run rally from Copiah-Lincoln in the bottom half of the inning, edging the Wolves for the sweep.
Copiah-Lincoln broke a scoreless tie with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Rangers promptly responded with the tying run in the fifth, setting up the dramatic conclusion.
Northwest finished with seven base hits in the win, led by two apiece from Leatherwood. Eldridge improved to 2-4 on the mound after fanning six Copiah-Lincoln batters against two hits, two runs and three walks. Sanders also delivered two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh for his sixth save of the season.
Kade May was handed the loss for the Wolves, despite earning four strikeouts in 6.1 innings. The Wolves were held to just three hits in the loss.
