SENATOBIA - Two strong performances on the mound from Scott Sharp and Gavin McCoy helped guide 18th-ranked Northwest to a sweep of Holmes on Tuesday afternoon, as the Rangers earned a pair of 10-5 and 3-0 victories against the Bulldogs.

Sharp, a sophomore from Olive Branch, pitched six full innings, delivering seven strikeouts against two walks. In Game 2, McCoy went the distance for his second complete game of the season, striking out six batters and allowing no walks or runs.

At the plate, the Rangers hammered out 10 hits in the opener, highlighted by a solo homer from Cy Craig, and doubles from Cade Greer and Cade Leatherwood.

With the sweep, Northwest surpassed last season's 23-win total, improving to 24-8 overall and 9-1 in the MACCC. Holmes dropped to 9-19 on the season and 1-11 in conference play. 

Next up for Northwest will be a road trip to Hinds, scheduled for 2/5 P.M. in Raymond. The Rangers will then visit Jackson State (Tenn.) on April 1, Coahoma on April 3 and seventh-ranked Jones College on April 6, before returning to Jim Miles Field to host No. 20 Arkansas State-Mountain Home on April 8 at 2 P.M.


Game 1 - #18 Northwest 10, Holmes 5

Behind a strong outing on the mound from Sharp, Northwest hammered out 10 hits in a 10-5 victory against Holmes.

Jacob Hill led off the game by drawing a walk, later scoring on Leatherwood's groundout to the shortstop. Holmes tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third on Hunter Azemar's RBI-single to left field, only for the Rangers to add two more in the bottom of the third, thanks in part to a two-out error by the Bulldogs' third baseman in Leatherwood's at-bat. Matthew Roncalli followed with a single to right field and Tyler Pearson drove in both players on a two-run single to center, giving Northwest a 3-1 advantage.

After Sharp kept the Bulldogs scoreless in the top of the fourth, the Rangers blew the game wide open with a five-run frame in the bottom of the fourth. Craig led off the inning with a solo homer to right field, and Peyton Martin singled to center field, scoring Hill from third. Another error at third base in Leatherwood's at-bat allowed two runs to score, stretching the Northwest lead to 7-1.

Roncalli capped off the big inning with an RBI-single up the middle, which scored Leatherwood from third, pushing the Northwest lead to 8-1.

Holmes cut into the deficit a little in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs. Azemar singled to left field to score Landon Wallace from third, and Brendan Skirtech's RBI-single to center brought in another Bulldogs' run, closing the gap to 8-3. Azemar would later score on a passed ball, bringing in another run and pulling Holmes within an 8-4 margin.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Northwest responded with a single from Hill and an RBI-double from Greer. With two outs in the frame, Leatherwood got his first base hit on an RBI-double to right, scoring Greer and pushing the Rangers' lead to 10-4.

Both relief pitchers settled in for the next few innings, with only one other run scored the rest of the way. That came from Holmes in the top of the ninth, as a single to right field from Azemar scored Jackson Parker to close the gap to 10-5.

Holmes would load the bases with two outs, only for Roncalli to pick off Nicolas Schwing at third base for the final out.

Greer and Roncalli led Northwest at the plate, with both players finishing 2-for-5. Holmes also finished with 10 hits in the loss, led by a 3-for-5 effort from Azemar.

Sharp (6-1) collected the win on the mound, with Jackson Jenkins tossing two solid innings of relief, finishing with a strikeout and no runs or walks surrendered. Cooper Mitze closed the game for Northwest in the ninth, surrendering an earned run and two walks.

Cole Moudy fell to 2-2 on the mound for the Bulldogs, striking out three batters and allowing four walks with four earned runs in three innings. Josh Fleming tossed the final six innings of relief, allowing just two runs against six strikeouts and no walks.


Game 2 - #18 Northwest 3, Holmes 0

Northwest scored two of its three runs in the first inning, before tacking on an insurance run in the fifth, securing the sweep of Holmes.

Greer delivered an RBI-single to right field to score the game's first run, followed by a sacrifice fly to right field from Leatherwood. The pitcher's duel was on from there, as both McCoy and Holmes' Holton Hartzog kept the bats in check for the remainder of the game.

Hartzog only allowed one more run, which scored on an error in Martin's at-bat in the bottom of the fifth. As for McCoy, he pitched six strikeouts and allowed no walks or earned runs, improving to 3-2 on the mound.

Hartzog fell to 2-2 for Holmes and tossed six strikeouts against three walks, with no earned runs allowed. 

Both teams combined for just five base hits, with Northwest finishing with three. The Bulldogs' lone extra base hit came off the bat of Azemar, who hit a double in the top of the seventh. Read Full Article