DECATUR - It took extra innings to decide the final game of Saturday's doubleheader between Northwest and No. 1 East Central, but the Rangers tagged out the tying run at home plate in the eighth inning, holding on for an 8-7 victory against the previously-unbeaten Warriors.

With the Game 2 win, it marked a successful rebound for Northwest, which fell 9-5 in the opener, despite starting out with a 3-0 lead. The nightcap also marked the second time the Rangers have beaten a No. 1-ranked team this season, after previously earning a 3-0 shutout win against Heartland on March 1. 

Northwest moved to 21-8 on the season and 7-1 in the MACCC, while the Warriors fell to 31-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play.

Northwest will have a busy week before Easter, hosting Rhodes College JV on Monday, March 25 at 2 P.M., before welcoming Holmes on Tuesday, March 26 at 4/7 P.M. The Rangers are then scheduled to visit Hinds on Friday, March 29 at 2/5 P.M.


Game 1 - #1 East Central 9, Northwest 5

Despite making East Central go to its bullpen in the first inning of Game 1, Northwest eventually squandered a 3-0 lead to drop a 9-5 decision to the Warriors.

Mason Shropshie kept the home team off the board for the first three innings, only for East Central to scrape back a run in the bottom of the fourth and another in the home half of the fifth. Leading 3-2, Northwest surrendered a three-run frame in the bottom of the sixth, as the Warriors took a 5-3 advantage.

East Central tacked on four more in the bottom of the eighth to build a comfortable 9-3 advantage, but Northwest clawed back for two more runs in the top of the ninth.

Despite the loss, Northwest still out-hit the Warriors, 10-8, led by two hits apiece from Cy Craig, Cade Greer and Peyton Martin. Craig also finished with a double and Martin left with a triple.

East Central was led by a pair of base hits from Trey Bridges and Mo Little. 

Shropshire (1-1) tossed 5.1 innings, striking out four batters against four walks, with four earned runs surrendered. Carson Fox pitched two full innings of relief, striking out a pair of batters against two walks and two earned runs, followed by a brief appearance from Cooper Mitze in the eighth.

Kamryn Carlisle picked up the win in relief for the Warriors, issuing seven strikeouts against a pair of walks. Chris Billingsley started on the mound for East Central, but lasted just 0.2 innings, finishing with a strikeout against four walks and four earned runs.


Game 2 - Northwest 8, #1 East Central 7 (8 inn.)

After East Central tied the game in the seventh to force extra innings, the Warriors nearly did the same thing again on a two-out double to right center field. However, despite scoring the initial run, ECCC was tracked down at the plate on a relay from Martin to Jacob Hill to Matthew Roncalli, denying the tying run and preserving the win for Northwest.

Northwest led 1-0 entering the bottom of the second, only for East Central to tie the game with a run of its own. In the fourth, the Rangers tacked on a run, before stretching their lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth.

After scoring a pair in the top of the seventh, Northwest surrendered a 5-1 lead in the home half of the seventh, as East Central scored four to tie. The Rangers again plated three runs in the top of the eighth, but the Warriors inched back with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, before the third out at the plate ended the game.

Both teams combined for 21 base hits in the nightcap, with East Central taking an 11-10 edge. Greer, Martin, Levi Lang and Cade Leatherwood each finished with two base hits apiece, including a homer from Lang and a double from Martin.

East Central was led by a 3-for-4 effort from Barret Rodgers and a triple from Reid Hall.

Freshman Brennan Jones tossed six strong innings on the mound for Northwest, issuing six strikeouts against five walks, an earned run and four hits. James Smith (5-2) got the win in relief, accounting for three strikeouts and three walks. Read Full Article