SUMMIT - After suffering a 2-1 loss in Thursday's opener at Southwest Mississippi, sixth-ranked Northwest answered with a 5-0 shutout in the nightcap, leaving with the split.
Northwest was held to just four hits in the loss, but finished with eight hits in the finale.
Hanna Grace Gillean went 3-for-6 in the doubleheader, while
Ellie Fryar finished 2-for-6 with a triple.
Neely Cooper (5-4) pitched well, but took the Game 1 loss, despite issuing five strikeouts against two walks.
Morgen Brewton improved to 9-0 with the win in Game 2, going the distance with four strikeouts and no walks.
Northwest (14-4, 1-1 MACCC) will return to competition on Saturday, March 16 at 2/4 P.M., facing reigning national champions and fourth-ranked Copiah-Lincoln.
Game 1 - Southwest Mississippi 2, #6 Northwest 1
Tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, Northwest was unable to keep Southwest Mississippi from plating the winning run, as the Rangers dropped a 2-1 decision in Game 1.
Cooper kept the Lady Bears scoreless through three frames, but SMCC pulled ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on a two-out error. Fryar tripled in the top of the sixth, but was left stranded, as the Rangers were unable to respond.
Northwest finally got a run back in the top of the seventh, as Gillean dropped a single into the outfield to score
Marleigh Mancini. However, the Lady Bears responded in the home half of the inning to secure the victory.
Lauren Mounce pitched a complete game to lead Southwest Mississippi, striking out five batters with no walks surrendered. The Lady Bears also scattered five hits across the lineup, with Gillean leading the Rangers with a 2-for-3 effort.
Game 2 - #6 Northwest 5, Southwest Mississippi 0
A five-run frame in the third inning made all the difference for Northwest, as the Rangers shut out Southwest Mississippi in the nightcap.
Kaylee Owens highlighted the inning with a three-run homer and
Abby Rogers also delivered a two-run single, as Brewton kept the Lady Bears off the board with four strikeouts.
Rogers finished 3-for-3 in the win, leading the Rangers' efforts at the plate. Erin Acey (0-4) took the loss for Southwest Mississippi, allowing four earned runs in 2.2 frames, while Karleigh Daze started the game for the Lady Bears, striking out three batters in 4.1 frames.
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