RAYMOND - It took some late-inning drama, but for the second weekend in a row, the 18th-ranked Northwest baseball team avoided being swept, earning a 6-5 victory in Game 2 at Hinds on Friday.
Northwest dropped the opener to the Eagles, 9-5, moving to 25-9 on the season and 10-2 inside the MACCC.
James Smith pitched a strong outing in relief to help the Rangers secure the victory in the nightcap, improving to 6-2 on the mound.
For Hinds, the split moved the Eagles to 16-21 overall and 4-8 in conference play.
Northwest will return to action on Monday, April 1, traveling to Jackson State (Tenn.) for a single game at 1 P.M. The Rangers will then return to conference play on Tuesday, April 2, visiting Coahoma for a 12/3 P.M. doubleheader.
Game 1 - Hinds 9, #18 Northwest 5
Hinds scored four of its runs in the bottom of the second inning, jumping out to an early lead in the Game 1 loss for Northwest.
Northwest tacked on its first run in the top of the third inning, but the Eagles added two more in the sixth to take a 6-1 advantage. Even a three-run frame in the top of the seventh for Northwest wasn't enough to stop Hinds, as the home team responded with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning.
Trailing 9-4, the Rangers got a run back in the top of the eighth, but the Eagles limited the damage and allowed no runs in the top of the ninth.
Hits were aplenty for both teams in the opener, as 29 combined hits were recorded. Hinds finished with a 16-13 edge in that category, with a 3-for-5 effort from
Matthew Roncalli highlighting the Rangers' efforts. Northwest also got doubles from
Hayes Davis,
Cade Greer and
Jacob Hill, with Greer,
Peyton Martin and
Tyler Pearson all finishing with two base hits apiece.
Hinds was led at the plate with three base hits apiece from Tyler Janos and Diego Maddox. Cameron Hill further helped the Eagles with a home run and two RBIs.
On the mound,
Brennan Jones (4-2) lasted 5.1 innings, issuing two strikeouts against two walks and three earned runs.
Carson Fox and
Cooper Mitze each pitched 1.1 frames of relief, with Mitze earning a strikeout.
Dawson Muenzenmay got the win for Hinds, moving his season record to 2-1, after delivering three strikeouts against two walks in 6.2 innings. Alex McGarrh got the save for the Eagles, shutting down the Rangers' rally attempt in the ninth and getting the final out.
Game 2 - #18 Northwest 6, Hinds 5 (8 inn.)
Much like the opener, both teams hit the ball well and combined for 22 base hits, but Northwest salvaged the split with the gritty Game 2 victory in extra innings.
Northwest plated four runs in the top of the first, before Hinds added one of its own in the home half of the inning. The Rangers made it a 5-1 advantage in the top of the third, only for the Eagles to get a run back as well.
Hinds then scored three runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 5-5 and neither team would break the tie over the next three innings. Finally, in the top of the eighth inning,
Cy Craig's homer to right field put the Rangers back on top, before Smith's shutdown inning in the bottom of the eighth sealed the victory for Northwest.
Each team finished with 11 hits, with Craig going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs to lead the Rangers. Greer and Martin also accounted for two base hits apiece.
Four players came away with multiple base hits for the Eagles, led by two each from Ashton Johnson and Thomas Marsala.
Smith (6-2) struck out four batters in 2.1 innings of relief, while starter
Mason Shropshire delivered six strikeouts in four total innings.
Jackson Jenkins also pitched an inning of relief, issuing one strikeout with no walks or runs allowed.
Hinds' starter Brady Boykin didn't finish a full inning for the Eagles, as he allowed three walks and four earned runs in the first inning. Cole Burton came on for the next 6.2 innings and kept the Rangers in check, striking out six batters against three walks and two earned runs.
