SENATOBIA - The Rangers used strong pitching and timely hitting to secure a pair of hard-fought victories Saturday night in the squad's MACCC-opening doubleheader, besting Southwest Mississippi, 4-3 and 4-2.
Northwest capitalized on Southwest mistakes, scoring three unearned runs in game 1 and another in game 2.
Cade Greer led the Rangers at the plate, going 4 for 6 with three runs and an RBI on the night.
Mason Shropshire went six full innings in game 1 before turning it over to
Carson Fox and
James Smith to close it out.
Brennan Jones shook off a tough first inning to go the distance in game 2 and secure the sweep.
The Rangers will host a non-conference doubleheader at Jim Miles Field on Wednesday against Rock Valley (Ill.) College. Game 1 begins at 1 P.M., with game 2 to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of game 1. Both games will be carried live on
Ranger TV.
Game 1 - Northwest 4, Southwest Mississippi 3
Northwest struck first in game 1 after
Jacob Hill reached on an error and was advanced by Greer on a sacrifice bunt. Hill then swiped third and scored on
Levi Lang's groundout to the third baseman.
The Rangers threatened to add runs in the second, but left the bases loaded. Greer led off the third with a single to right and stole second to move into scoring position. He advanced to third on a Southwest error, then scored on
Peyton Martin's sacrifice fly to left to stretch the lead to 2.
Shropshire kept the Bears off the board until the top of the sixth when he allowed a couple of walks to Marcus Jackson and Colson Thompson. The two would score later in the inning before Shropshire closed the door on the rally by forcing a groundout to third.
Carson Fox came on in the seventh for the Rangers, putting a zero on the board in the top half, before Northwest batters regained the lead in the bottom.
Cy Craig led off with a walk and Greer drove him in on a double to center field later in the inning.
Southwest countered in the top of the eighth when Thompson singled to left and stole second. He advanced to third on Trace Roy's single through the left side of the infield. Smith entered for the Rangers and forced a fly out to right, but Thompson scored to tie it up on Davis Knight's sacrifice. Smith then struck out Gavin Bledsoe to set up a wild finish in the bottom of the eighth.
Matthew Roncalli led off the inning and struck out swinging, but reached first base on a passed ball. He then advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt.
Tyler Pearson's sacrifice bunt advanced Roncalli to third and
Hayes Davis singled to center to score the go-ahead run.
Smith finished the ninth on the mound, getting a groundout and a double play to secure the win for the Rangers.
Southwest also used three pitchers in the loss. Dawson Richard started and gave up the first two runs on one hit with two strikeouts. He was spelled by Gage Hinnant, who pitched three and two thirds and held the Rangers scoreless. Myles Green (1-1) took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, in two innings.
Colson Thompson scored two for the bears, while Davis Knight paced them with two runs batted in.
Game 2 - Northwest 4, Southwest Mississippi 2
Things looked shaky for
Brennan Jones to start game 2. The big right-hander shook off the tough start to finish with a seven-inning complete game and secure the team's 15th victory on the young season.
Southwest wasted little time before striking in the top of the first. Reed Duthu led off with a single and advanced on Marcus Jackson's sacrifice bunt. Colson Thompson was hit by a pitch, and both he and Duthu advanced on an errant throw. Duthu then scored on a wild pitch. Thompson later scored on a Davis Knight groundout to short. Jones limited any further damage by getting Cody Presley to fly out to end the inning.
The Rangers had a couple of chances over the first two innings, but left runners on in both before striking in the third.
Cade Greer reached on an error and advanced on a wild pitch. He then scored on
Cade Leatherwood's single through the infield to cut the lead in half.
Neither team made any more noise until Northwest came up in the bottom of the fifth.
Jacob Hill doubled to lead off and
Cade Greer reached on a bunt.
Levi Lang's sacrifice bunt scored Hill.
Peyton Martin then tripled to right to score Greer. Martin scored on
Tyler Pearson's single to right before Southwest was able to halt the rally.
Southwest managed to get runners on in the top of the seventh, but
Cy Craig cut down a runner at third from his left field spot and Jones got Thompson out swinging to end the game.
Jones was not the only pitcher to go a complete game in the nightcap. Luke Lirette (1-2) went six full and took the loss for Southwest, despite striking out nine.
Reed Duthu led Southwest at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort and a run scored.
