SENATOBIA - Northwest got 10 runs on 12 hits and withstood a two-run rally in the top of the ninth, earning a narrow 10-8 victory against Freed-Hardeman JV on Monday evening.
Sophomore
Peyton Martin went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs to lead the Rangers at the plate, improving the team's record to 9-3.
Rob Hayes and
James Smith also picked up two hits apiece, while catcher-turned-pitcher
Matthew Roncalli got the win for Northwest, after tossing the final two innings.
Northwest was also aided with a pair of solid showings from
Drew Lamb and
Cooper Mitze, as both players issued six strikeouts in 4.2 total innings.Â
After Lamb retired the Lions in the top of the first inning, Northwest got on the board with
Walker Maranto's sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Rangers the 1-0 lead. Freed-Hardeman JV responded right back in the top of the second, as a pair of walks loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly from Sam Williams made it a 1-1 contest.
Stephen Overstreet's solo homer sent Northwest behind 2-1 in the top of the third, but
James Smith's leadoff double paved the way for Maranto's groundout in the bottom of the third, tying the game at 2-2.
Errors and a wild pitch helped the Lions regain a 3-2 lead in the top half of the fourth inning, and an RBI-double from Ethan Quinn made it a 4-2 deficit in the top of the fifth. Chase Eakes made it a 5-2 lead in the same inning, as his single up the middle scored Quinn.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Smith doubled to right center, adding a spark at the plate for the Rangers.
Jackson Jenkins scored the run on a grounder to third base, then
Levi Lang roped a double down the left field line, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
Looking to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, Martin did something better, hitting a two-run homer to give Northwest the 6-5 advantage.
Freed-Hardeman JV made things interesting in the top half of the seventh, but the Lions left the bases loaded with no runs. Though Northwest would surrender the tying run with two outs in the top of the eighth, the Rangers rallied back with a four-run frame in the bottom of the eighth.
John Blockmon doubled to left to open the inning, and Martin's two-run double scored Blockmon and
Rob Hayes, making it an 8-6 lead. As if that wasn't enough, Roncalli singled through the right side to score Martin and an error allowed two more runs to score, as Northwest led 10-6.
With two outs on the board, Max Kirby singled to right field, scoring Highfill and Overstreet to bring the Lions back within two. However, Roncalli ended the comeback hopes of FHU JV, striking out Williams and preserving the win.
Roncalli (1-0) got the win on the mound for Northwest, issuing three strikeouts in two full innings of relief. Justin Whitman was handed the loss for Freed-Hardeman JV, despite earning a pair of strikeouts over the final two innings of play.
Eakes went 2-for-4 to lead the Lions at the plate.
