SENATOBIA - With a new year now officially underway, the final countdown is on for the start of the 2024 baseball season for Northwest.

Coach Mark Carson's squad will host 15 home dates at Jim Miles Field, including 11 doubleheaders. The Rangers will begin their season on Friday, February 9 against Jackson State (Tenn.), before paying a visit to JSCC the following afternoon.

A new local rivalry will be introduced on Tuesday, Feb. 13, when first-year program Arkansas State Mid-South makes the short trip to Senatobia. From there, Northwest will travel to Bevill State on Saturday, Feb. 17, before facing Hinds and Mississippi Delta on Feb. 20 at Delta State University's Boo Ferris Field.

Illinois Central is also slated to pay another visit to Senatobia on the final weekend of February, with the teams playing a rare three-game series. The Rangers and Cougars will play one nine-inning game on Friday, Feb. 23, before playing in a doubleheader the following day.

Northwest then closes out the month with a road twinbill at Freed-Hardeman JV on Monday, Feb. 26 and a home round-robin affair against Northeast (11 A.M.) and Itawamba (5 P.M.) on Wednesday, Feb. 28. 

Single games against Freed-Hardeman JV, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Copiah-Lincoln, and doubleheaders with Rock Valley College and ASU Mid-South will conclude the non-conference slate.

Awaiting the Rangers in MACCC competition will be Southwest Mississippi on Saturday, March 9, with Northwest also hosting Copiah-Lincoln (March 16), Holmes (March 26), Northeast (April 9), Meridian (April 13), East Mississippi (April 17) and Mississippi Gulf Coast (April 20).

As for road conference doubleheaders, the Rangers will visit Mississippi Delta, East Central, Hinds, Coahoma, Jones College, Itawamba and Pearl River.

All home games will be carried online through Ranger TV, with Josh Guest and Northwest sports information director Brian Lentz handling the play-by-play duties.