SENATOBIA - Sophomore Day for Northwest was soured by Itawamba on Wednesday afternoon, as the Rangers dropped a pair of 4-2 and 2-1 finals to the Lady Indians.
Northwest was held to just seven combined hits in the losses, falling to 25-17 on the season and 12-14 in the MACCC. Meanwhile, Itawamba jumped to 14-10 in conference play and 24-25 overall.
With the losses, the Rangers slipped to ninth in the MACCC standings. The Lady Rangers are one game back from Northeast (13-13 conference) and three games ahead of Holmes, which sits at 10th place with a 9-17 mark in conference play. Meridian also remains in the postseason picture with its split of Mississippi Gulf Coast on Wednesday, as the Lady Eagles currently sit in 11th place with an 8-16 conference record.
Northwest will host No. 4 Pearl River on Saturday afternoon to conclude the regular season. The Lady Wildcats (40-9, 20-6 MACCC) are coming off a split with fifth-ranked Jones College.
Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 12/2 P.M. start times. Broadcast coverage will be provided on
Ranger TV.
Game 1 - Itawamba 4, Northwest 2
In what started as a classic pitcher's duel, Itawamba broke up the shutout with a run in the top of the fifth and three in the sixth, earning a 4-2 triumph against Northwest in the opener.
Neely Cooper (10-11) carried the Rangers through four scoreless innings, before an RBI-single up the middle by Avery Wolfe gave Itawamba a 1-0 lead in the fifth. The Lady Indians would further widen the gap with four base hits in the sixth, including three straight singles, as Northwest fell behind 4-0.
However, the Rangers would gain some life in the bottom of the sixth, as
Crista Wilson led off the frame with a single to third base.
Madeline Houk followed with a sacrifice bunt and an error in right field allowed pinch runner
Thenya Kennedy to score from second, providing Northwest with its first run.
Hanna Grace Gillean followed with a sacrifice fly to score
Ellie Fryar, closing the gap to 3-2. However, a strikeout ended the inning, leaving a runner stranded at first for the Rangers.
Relief pitcher
Abby Rogers tossed a scoreless frame in the top of the seventh, keeping Northwest within two runs. However, Alyssa Clifft retired the Rangers in order, recording her 10th complete game of the season.
Clifft improved to 6-6 in the circle with her win, striking out 10 Northwest batters with no walks and two unearned runs allowed. Cooper struck out four for the Rangers and did not allow a walk, despite surrendering four earned runs.
Abby Rogers also struck out two batters in her 1.2 innings of relief.
Gillean, Wilson and
Sommer Tyes accounted for one hit apiece for Northwest, while Itawamba scattered all six of its hits throughout the lineup. Chloe McClain's double was the only extra base hit for the Lady Indians.
Game 2 - Itawamba 2, Northwest 1
Much like the first matchup, the nightcap also turned out to be a pitcher's duel for both teams, but Itawamba wound up victorious once again.
Scoreless through two innings, Northwest took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third, thanks to Rogers' sacrifice fly to center field that scored
Madelyn Wadkins.
Unfortunately, the Rangers' lead did not last long, as Halle Turner led off the fourth inning with a double to right center. Jessi Smith followed with a single and after loading the bases, Itawamba tied the game up on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to Julia Shaw.
With Northwest unable to score in the bottom of the fourth, Itawamba led off the fifth on a questionable double down the left field line from Camdyn Cooper. She would later score the eventual winning run on Turner's RBI-single to right field, as the Lady Indians led 2-1.
Northwest left two runners stranded in the bottom of the fifth and Shaw retired the Rangers in order over the next two frames, securing the sweep for Itawamba.
Shaw (15-11) recorded her 20th complete game of the season, allowing just two walks and an unearned run in the circle.
Morgen Brewton (13-5) also went the distance for Northwest, striking out two batters against no walks and two earned runs.
Wadkins was responsible for two of the Rangers' four base hits, while
Kaylee Owens finished with her seventh career triple, surpassing MyCala Helms and Saige Koczka for the Northwest career triples record.
Itawamba finished with seven base hits, highlighted by a 3-for-4 effort from Turner, which included a double and an RBI. Cooper and Shaw also recorded doubles for the Lady Indians.
