SENATOBIA - Although the 18-6 opening loss was one to forget for Northwest, the Rangers responded in a big way in the nightcap, delivering a solid 7-3 victory to salvage the split against Mississippi Delta.
Northwest moved to 16-10 overall with the split and 4-2 in the MACCC. Meanwhile, Mississippi Delta dropped to 8-15-1 on the season and 4-4 in conference play.
Another home conference doubleheader awaits the Rangers on Saturday, March 25, as Northwest welcomes East Central to Jim Miles Field. The Warriors (14-12, 5-1 MACCC) have won six of their last eight games, most recently notching a pair of 15-12 and 10-1 victories against No. 18 Hinds.
Game times for Saturday are set for 2/5 P.M., with both contests carried on Ranger TV. Live stats will also be available for Game 1 only, due to conflicting events.
Game 1 - Mississippi Delta 18, Northwest 6 (8 inn.)
Northwest was forced to use six different pitchers in its opener against Mississippi Delta, as the Trojans racked up 18 runs on 17 base hits to run-rule the Rangers in eight innings.
After keeping the Trojans off the board in the top of the first, Northwest struck first with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the same inning, thanks to an error at third base that allowed
Cade Leatherwood to score.
Things went downhill from there however, as Mississippi Delta tacked on three runs in the top of the second off a pair of singles from Hayden Graves and Wes Warnock. The Trojans added three more in the top half of the third, highlighted by a two-run homer from Channing Lackey, taking a 6-2 advantage.
Northwest tried to keep pace with some offense of its own, scoring a run in the second and adding three of its own in the bottom of the third, as
Cy Craig scored two on a single. However, the 6-5 deficit was as close as the Rangers would come, as the Trojans pulled away with another three-run frame in the top of the fourth.
An RBI-triple from Leatherwood pulled the Rangers within 9-6 in the bottom of the fourth, but that was the last time Northwest would see the scoreboard. After both teams were held scoreless in the fifth, Mississippi Delta pushed two more runs across the plate in the top of the sixth, two more in the seventh and a five-run blow in the top of the eighth, solidifying the run-rule.
Northwest collected nine base hits in the loss, highlighted by Leatherwood's 2-for-4 effort. The Trojans were paced by Tyrell Burnett's 4-for-6 performance and a 3-for-4 effort from Dylan Dendy.
C.J. Lofton started the game for the Rangers and was handed the loss, after tossing three complete frames with seven hits and six runs allowed, against a strikeout and three walks. The loss was Lofton's first one of the season, dropping his individual record on the mound to 4-1.
Five other Northwest pitchers made relief appearances, with
Connor McCaslin and
Rudy Baldwyn combining for six strikeouts across 3.2 innings of work. McCaslin surrendered two runs in his relief effort, but both were unearned.
Jacob Brooks tossed 5.2 innings of relief to earn the win for the Trojans, finishing with five strikeouts against a walk and one earned run. G.W. Piggott lasted 2.1 innings to start the contest, but was pulled in the third after allowing five runs on five hits and three walks.
Game 2 - Northwest 7, Mississippi Delta 3
Northwest took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and held off the Trojans' rally attempts, securing the split with
Brayden Sanders' relief appearance.
Craig ended the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second, sending a two-out double down the left field line, scoring
Eli Selby and
James Smith. Mississippi Delta tacked on a run off Darren Johnson's solo homer in the fourth, but the Rangers responded with back-to-back homers from Selby and
Hayes Davis to stretch the lead to 5-1.
Mississippi Delta struck back with a two-run single from Dendy in the fifth, but the Rangers retired the next two batters in order to leave a pair of Trojans stranded.
Though the Trojans threatened once more in the top of the sixth, Sanders checked in to help Northwest earn the third out, leaving two more MDCC runners on base. Northwest then responded with a two-run triple from
Jacob Hill with two outs, scoring
John Blockmon and
Dawson Griffin, stretching the lead to 7-3.
A two-out walk was the only blemish for Sanders in the top of the seventh, as the Trojans were unable to tack on any base hits. Sanders then struck out Johnson for the final out, sealing his seventh save of the season and the win for his team.
Both teams finished with seven base hits in the contest, with Craig finishing 2-for-3 to lead the charge for Northwest. Warnock and Dre Moore collected two base hits each to lead the Trojans' efforts at the plate.
Judah Buckner improved to 2-1 on the mound, striking out five batters through 4.1 innings.
Zach Beasley also posted a solid relief effort, garnering four strikeouts and allowing no base hits, runs or walks in his 1.1 innings of work.
Tate Anderson was handed the loss for the Trojans, falling to 2-2 on the season after allowing five runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Colby Lafayette also threw 2.1 innings of relief for Mississippi Delta, allowing two earned runs and notching one strikeout.
