SENATOBIA - With all the presents unwrapped, the leftovers eaten and Christmas music fading into the background, the anticipation is starting to build for baseball season in the MACCC.

For Northwest and its fans, New Year's Day will mark the start of a 30-day countdown to the Rangers' season-opener, scheduled for 1/4 P.M. on Saturday, February 1 against Bevill State. The home twinbill kicks off a four-date homestand that continues against Columbia State on Feb. 4, and a pair of doubleheaders against Lake Land College on Feb. 8-9, all scheduled for 1/4 P.M. start times.

Valentine's Day weekend marks the first neutral-site games for Northwest, as the Rangers are scheduled to take part in the Perfect Game Invitational at nearby USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn. Coahoma and Hinds are next on the docket for NWCC on Wednesday, Feb. 19, as the three teams will do battle at Delta State University's Boo Ferriss Field.

Northwest then returns to its home ballpark on the weekend of Feb. 21-22 for a three-game stand against Illinois Central College. The Rangers and Cougars are scheduled for a single game on Friday, Feb. 21 and a doubleheader for Saturday, Feb. 22.

Other notable non-conference games include matchups against Northeast and Itawamba on Feb. 26 in Booneville, and Coahoma and East Mississippi on March 4 in Senatobia. Conference play begins with a home doubleheader against Jones College on March 12, before the Rangers travel to Pearl River and Mississippi Delta on March 15 and 18, respectively.

Coahoma, Copiah-Lincoln, Holmes, Itawamba, Meridian and Southwest Mississippi are all on the docket to make visits to Jim Miles Field throughout the MACCC slate, while Northwest is slated to pay visits to East Central, East Mississippi, Hinds, Mississippi Gulf Coast and Northeast later in the spring.

Northwest is coming off a 37-17 campaign last season, which featured the most wins in a single season since 2007. In addition, the Rangers also made the postseason and went through the entire MACCC portion of the schedule without being swept. 

All home games will be carried online via Ranger TV, with Northwest sports information director Brian Lentz handling play-by-play and color duties. For select broadcasts, Josh Guest will provide play-by-play coverage.