SENATOBIA - Since taking over the Northwest softball program prior to the 2020 season, coach
Chelsea Bramlett has guided the Rangers to new heights and her teams have shattered records left and right.
In Thursday's season-opening sweep of Dyersburg State, Bramlett added another milestone to her impressive résumé, capturing her 100th win in the Rangers' 8-2 victory. She then recorded her 101st career win in the nightcap, as Northwest run-ruled the Lady Eagles by an 8-0 final.
Bramlett is the second Northwest softball coach to reach the 100-win milestone, joining her predecessor Mike Rowan. Her current coaching record now stands at 101-50, with two 30-win seasons from 2022-23.
On the field, the Rangers were impressive in several areas. Sophomore
Kaylee Owens was 4-for-5 from the plate, with a home run and four RBIs. Freshman
Carly Dunigan was also 3-for-4 at the plate, earning a triple and two RBIs.
In the circle,
Neely Cooper picked up the Game 1 victory, striking out four batters in six full innings. Freshman
Morgen Brewton also looked impressive in her Northwest debut, earning five strikeouts in five full innings. Freshmen
Abby Rogers and
Sommer Tyes closed out Game 1 and Game 2, respectively, dishing out two strikeouts apiece.
Northwest will be back in action next weekend against 16th-ranked South Suburban College, a doubleheader scheduled for 1/3 P.M. in Fulton. The Rangers will return home on Thursday, Februrary 22 for a 1/3 P.M. tangle with No. 9 Kirkwood.
Game 1 - Northwest 8, Dyersburg State 2
Led by a 3-for-4 effort from Owens, Northwest churned out 10 hits and committed no errors in the season-opening win against Dyersburg State.
Although Kelsey Camp gave the Lady Eagles an early lead with her RBI-double in the top of the first, Northwest erased the early 1-0 deficit with a two-run frame in the bottom of the second. With one out on the board, Dunigan singled through the left side in her first collegiate at-bat and stole second base just moments later. Then, Owens blasted a two-run shot to left field, giving the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
Cooper tossed back-to-back scoreless frames to preserve the Northwest lead, and the Rangers stretched the gap in the bottom of the third.
Kara Johnson led off the inning with a single and then stole second base, followed by a single from Cooper. With runners on the corners, a walk to Dunigan loaded the bases with one out, setting up a two-run single from Owens.
With a 4-1 lead, Northwest collected another run in the bottom of the third, thanks to a stolen base from
Madeline Houk that allowed Dunigan to score from third.
A two-out triple from Bre Ramsey did help Dyersburg State get a run back in the top of the fourth, but the Rangers answered with a two-run frame in the bottom of the fifth. After Dunigan was issued a leadoff walk, Owens singled to third and a sac bunt from Houk moved the freshman over to third base. The Senatobia native would score for the second time in her debut, thanks to a sac fly to left from
Chloe Summerford, giving Northwest a 6-2 advantage.
A wild pitch in
Thenya Kennedy's at-bat helped Owens move to third and an RBI-single from
Ellie Fryar scored Owens, extending the Northwest lead to 7-2.
After Cooper once again kept the Lady Eagles off the board in the top of the sixth, Northwest plated one more run in the bottom half of the inning. Johnson led off the frame with a single and stole second base, followed by a walk to
Lulu Franks. Rogers then delivered a single to advance both runners, and Dunigan's sac fly to left allowed Johnson to score from third.
Rogers entered to close out the game in the seventh and after allowing a single, the freshman from Brandon issued back-to-back strikeouts to seal Bramlett's 100th win.
Both teams combined for 17 hits, but neither team committed an error. Johnson went 2-for-2 at the plate with two walks issued, while five other players finished with one hit apiece.
In the circle, Cooper tossed six full innings and issued four strikeouts against three walks. The sophomore allowed two runs, both of which were earned.
Kylie Waldrep was responsible for three of the Lady Eagles' seven hits, finishing 3-for-3 with a run scored and a walk. Camp and Ramsey finished with one hit each.
Katie Chesser went six innings for Dyersburg State, striking out four batters and issuing six walks. All eight runs she surrendered were earned.
Game 2 - Northwest 8, Dyersburg State 0 (6 inn.)
Freshmen Brewton and Tyes were impressive in their college debuts, as the two pitchers combined for seven strikeouts and a shutout in the 8-0 nightcap win.
Brewton, a Mobile, Ala. native, tossed five strikeouts and allowed no runs or walks in five full innings of work. Tyes slammed the door on Dyersburg State in the top of the sixth, tossing two strikeouts with no runs, hits or walks issued.
Scoreless after an inning and a half, Northwest began to hit its stride in the bottom of the second. After Dunigan led off with a single up the middle, Houk's sac bunt sent the Senatobia freshman to second base, where she later moved to third on a wild pitch. Summerford would then send Dunigan around the plate on a fielder's choice, giving the Rangers their first run of the game.
A 1-2-3 inning for Brewton kept the Lady Eagles off the board, and the Rangers followed by blowing the game open in the bottom of the third. A leadoff single from Fryar and a single from Owens put runners in scoring position for Houk, who reached base after an error at third that scored Owens.
Another error from Dyersburg State in
Crista Wilson's at-bat sent two more runs home, helping Northwest gain a 4-0 advantage.
Brewton made quick work of the Lady Eagles in the fourth and fifth innings, and the Rangers picked up a three-run frame in the bottom of the fifth. After
Shelby Payne was hit by a pitch with one out, Dunigan tripled to right center to bring Payne home.
A walk to Houk allowed the sophomore to steal second and Dunigan scored on the throw, extending the Rangers' lead to 6-0. Wilson then made it a 7-0 lead after grounding out to third base, scoring Houk.
After Tyes struck out two of the three Dyersburg State batters in the top of the sixth, Northwest quickly put the game away with the run-rule in the bottom half of the inning. A leadoff walk to
Marleigh Mancini led to a double to left center from
Hayley Laurendeau.
Addison Owen was then walked on a ball-four wild pitch, scoring Mancini from third to end the game.
Northwest finished with seven hits, led by a 2-for-3 effort from Dunigan. Brewton also picked up the win in the circle, while Emmie Bullington was issued the loss for Dyersburg State.
Camp accounted for both of the Lady Eagles' hits in Game 2, finishing 2-for-2.
