FULTON - Tasked with completing the regular season on the road against three nationally-ranked opponents, No. 5 Northwest finished with a split at No. 18 Itawamba on Monday, earning a 4-1 win in Game 1 and dropping a 7-4 loss in the nightcap.
Gabby Dickerson improved to 15-1 in the circle with her Game 1 win, while Northwest blasted nine base hits. The Rangers got six hits in Game 2, but surrendered five runs in the bottom of the fifth to squander a 4-1 lead.
Offensively,
Reese Vanlandingham went 4-for-5 at the plate in the doubleheader, while McKaylee "K.K." Polk went 3-for-7 with a double and her 21st home run of the season.
With the split, the Rangers moved to 31-5 on the season and 20-4 in the MACCC, while Itawamba improved to 29-12 and 16-8 in conference play. Northwest will turn its attention to ninth-ranked Pearl River on Friday, April 28 for a 12/2 P.M. twinbill in Poplarville, with both games carried on
prccmedia.com.
Game 1 - #5 Northwest 4, #18 Itawamba 1
Freshman
Chloe Summerford went 3-for-3 at the plate and Vanlandingham finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, as Northwest took the opener from Itawamba.
Vanlandingham singled to lead off the game, later scoring the first run off Polk's double to center. Northwest would stretch the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third, thanks to another leadoff single and stolen base from Vanlandingham, setting up an RBI-single from
Kara Johnson.
Itawamba answered back in the home half of the third, as Maggie McVey's leadoff triple set up the Indians' first run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sarah Kate Thompson. However, Dickerson limited the damage by getting three quick outs in the frame, keeping the Rangers ahead at 2-1.
Northwest added to its lead with a two-run output in the top of the fourth, sparked by the leadoff hit-by-pitch on
Crista Wilson's plate appearance. After Summerford delivered a single to right, Vanlandingham issued another RBI-single down the left field line, followed by a fielder's choice RBI from
Kaylee Owens to push the lead to 4-1.
Itawamba left runners stranded on base in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings, but Dickerson issued four strikeouts over the final few frames to preserve the win for Northwest.
Dickerson finished with her eighth complete game of the season, tossing six strikeouts against one earned run and five base hits. The sophomore from Olive Branch also didn't surrender a walk for the third time in the last four starts.
Aside from the three base hits from Summerford and Vanlandingham, Polk also went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Itawamba scattered five hits across its lineup, with no player earning more than one base hit.
Emily Robinson, the Indians' ace, pitched all seven innings and struck out five batters, allowing four earned runs and two walks.
Game 2 - #18 Itawamba 7, #5 Northwest 4
A disastrous fifth inning made the ultimate difference in the Rangers' Game 2 loss, as Northwest was denied the road sweep.
Northwest gave up five of the Indians' seven runs in the inning, most coming unearned thanks to an infield error with one out on Sarah Kate Thompson's plate appearance. A bunt single from Sammie Day-Jones, a two-run double to left field from Emma Rose Thompson and an RBI-double from Avery Wolfe accounted for the runs from ICC.
Rewinding back to the third inning, Northwest took a 2-0 lead on Polk's two-run shot to left field, before the Indians responded in the home half of the inning on a double from Day-Jones.
Leading 2-1 entering the top of the fifth, the Rangers stretched the lead to 4-1, thanks to a two-run single up the middle from
Madeline Houk. The lead would be brief thanks to the big inning from Itawamba, sending Northwest to the sixth in a 6-4 deficit.
After Northwest failed to answer in the top of the sixth, the Indians added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. as Jones sent a sacrifice fly to center. The Rangers were then retired in order in the seventh to end the game.
Itawamba edged Northwest 7-6 in total hits, four coming from Day-Jones and Sarah Kate Thompson. The Indians also recorded four doubles in the win.
Northwest scattered six hits through the lineup, with one apiece coming from each of the top six in the order. In the circle,
Kylee Brown fell to 3-1 after striking out three batters against three walks, allowing two earned runs.
Allyson Harrison finished the game in relief for Northwest, allowing an earned run and one base hit in 1.1 innings.
Julia Shaw (5-4) won the game in relief for Itawamba, tossing four strikeouts with no runs over the final three innings. Starter Hallie Turner lasted three complete frames, tossing two strikeouts against three walks with two earned runs.
