SENATOBIA - A costly error helped #13 Spoon River College score a pair of runs to win a 2-1 pitcher's duel, but Northwest rallied back for a 5-1 win in the finale, notching a split on Saturday.
Morgen Brewton and
Neely Cooper both pitched well for Northwest, but it was Brewton that picked up the win in Game 2, as the Rangers moved to 8-2 on the season. Spoon River moved to 4-8 overall with the split.
Northwest was held to just three hits in the opener, but finished with eight hits in Game 2. Spoon River combined for 12 hits in the doubleheader, including seven in the Game 2 loss.
With the split, the Rangers will now shift their attention to a road doubleheader at Southeast Arkansas on Tuesday, February 27. Scheduled for 1/3 P.M., the games will be held at the UAPB Softball Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Game 1 - #13 Spoon River College 2, Northwest 1
Neely Cooper went the distance and struck out five batters, but took the loss and fell to 3-2 in the circle as Spoon River College edged Northwest, 2-1.
For as good as Cooper was, Allyson Harrold was just as solid for the Snappers, striking out nine batters and holding Northwest to only three hits in a full seven-inning effort. Neither pitcher surrendered a walk.
After three quick scoreless innings, a leadoff error allowed Spoon River to strike in the top of the fourth. With two outs and runners on second and third, the Snappers got back-to-back singles from Kylie Simmons and Sarah Stufflebeam, taking a 2-0 lead.
Northwest was unable to respond in the home half of the fourth, but the Snappers left a runner stranded in the top of the fifth, failing to add to their lead.
Sommer Tyes eventually got a spark going for the Rangers in the bottom of the fifth, as her single was followed by an RBI-double to left from
Madelyn Wadkins, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
However, that's as close as Harrold and Spoon River would allow Northwest to get, as the Rangers were retired in their last six at-bats.
Cooper, Tyes and Wadkins were responsible for each of the three hits for Northwest, while Stufflebeam and Erin Pulliam combined for four of the Snappers' five base hits.
Game 2 - Northwest 5, #13 Spoon River College 1
For the second time in as many games, Brewton tossed well over 100 pitches and earned the victory, improving to 5-0 in the 5-1 victory against the Snappers.
Brewton, a freshman from Mobile, Ala., nearly went the distance, pitching 6.2 innings with 10 strikeouts against three walks.
Addison Owen got the last out in the top of the seventh, while the Rangers finished with eight hits at the plate.
Much like the opener, Spoon River took the lead first, as Pulliam singled to center to score Raivyn Millions, who reached on a leadoff walk. However, Brewton limited the damage and held the Snappers to a 1-0 lead through the first three innings.
Lulu Franks led off the bottom of the third with a spark for Northwest, starting off the inning with a single, her first collegiate base hit. Facing two outs and two runners on base,
Shelby Payne delivered a two-run single to right field, scoring
Ellie Fryar and
Madeline Houk. Wadkins also scored on an error that allowed Payne to also reach third, giving the Rangers a 3-1 advantage.
As Brewton retired the side in the top of the fourth, Northwest added to its lead in the bottom frame, as
Kaylee Owens blasted a solo home run to left center to make it a 4-1 advantage.
Spoon River made things interesting in the top of the fifth, as a double and a single loaded the bases with two outs. However, Brewton forced the Snappers into an infield pop-up, stranding three runners and denying any additional runs.
Though Northwest went scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Payne delivered a one-out triple to right center and Owens followed with a single up the middle, helping the Rangers stretch their lead to 5-1.
Although Millions got a one-out single in the top of the seventh, Northwest shut down any hint of a rally from the Snappers, earning the split and moving to 5-1 against nationally-ranked teams.
Houk, Owens and Payne finished with two hits each, accounting for six of the Rangers' eight base hits. Brynna Seitz led Spoon River with two of the Snappers' seven base hits, while Kylie Hadsall finished with a double.
In the circle, Emma Slayback (0-5) was handed the loss for Spoon River, issuing four strikeouts against two walks and five earned runs allowed.Â
