SENATOBIA - Though the fall sports season at Northwest was consumed by a multitude of other sports, Mark Carson and the Rangers' baseball team was quietly building something special.

Northwest competed in nearly 20 fall exhibition games throughout September and October, including many in the friendly confines of Jim Miles Field. Although not every game resulted in a win, Carson was left with much optimism heading into the start of 2025.

"We got to see a lot from our guys," Carson said. "It was good for us to play that many games, because we had so many starters graduate from last year and we needed to see how some of our returning sophomores would do being elevated to starting roles. At the same time, we were also able to help our freshmen get acclimated to the speed of the game. Overall, it was very successful and not only in wins and losses, but by also gaining experience and being able to see our depth."

Northwest does have big shoes to fill in several areas, thanks to the departures of players such as Jacob Hill, Cade Greer, Peyton Martin and Matthew Roncalli. Several of last year's sophomores signed to the four-year level, with Greer and James Smith moving on to Memphis, while Hill and Roncalli wound up at Delta State and UAB, respectively.

Hill left Northwest as the program's all-time leader in stolen bases, while Greer and Martin won Gold Gloves and finished their Ranger careers with 1.000 fielding percentages in the outfield. Additionally, Roncalli proved to be one of the best catchers in the MACCC, and the combo of Smith, Scott Sharp and Mason Shropshire on the mound helped Northwest navigate through some of the heaviest hitters in conference play.

To top it off, Carson's squad finished 37-17 on the season, earning the most wins in a season since 2007. Additionally, the Rangers went 21-7 in the MACCC and avoided being swept by any conference opponent in the regular season.

Despite losing much of last year's star power, Carson believes his current sophomore class has progressed nicely from last season, partially due to the success in the fall.

"Some leadership qualities emerged," Carson said. "One of them, Levi Lang, had extensive playing time last year. Then you insert guys like Jackson Jenkins, Rob Hayes, Walker Maranto and Austin Batts, and it was good to see their leadership capabilities. Some of those guys had really good fall seasons, and I was able to see where they are and how they can help us contribute. From a leadership standpoint, it was great to see those guys step out of the shadows and be counted on."

This year, Northwest brings in 18 freshmen, some of whom transferred in after spending the fall at Division I programs. One such pickup is Brady Stinnett, an Oxford native that signed with Ole Miss and spent the fall with the Rebels. Stinnett is also the younger brother of former Ranger pitchers Carson and Parker Stinnett, who both continued their baseball careers at Memphis and Mississippi State following their time in Senatobia.

"They are very talented as a whole," Carson said, of his freshman class. "One thing I think that we will have is a lot of depth on the mound. Last year, we were so snake-bitten with injuries, losing McClain Ray and Connor McCaslin, then Payton Sanders halfway through the year. We had some guys that had to burn a lot of innings for us and by the time we got to the end of the year, some of those arms were just taxed out and exhausted. This year, we are sitting on about 15 to 17 guys that can pitch, and we brought in some good quality arms."

Other newcomers include Tyce Powers of Louisville, Ky. and Holly Springs native Walker Sanders, who initially signed with BYU out of high school. Thomas Mitchell and Eli Deberry also join the roster this spring after stints at Ole Miss and Memphis, respectively.

"We saw some glimpses out of [Tyce] this fall," Carson said. "He has battled injuries through high school, but he's getting healthy and to the point where he can really do some good things for us. Thomas and Eli are two that we got back from Division I programs that will contribute as well. Then, there's Tyler Sullivan, who was part of a strong state championship runner-up team at Hernando. After seeing him in the fall, he's got that bulldog mentality and he can really pitch and help us."

Carson and his staff will also have some two-way players in this freshman class as well. One example is Mason Gillentine (Mooreville, Miss./Mooreville HS) that is expected to contribute both on the mound and in the outfield. Meyer Maddox (Hernando, Miss./Hernando HS) is another one that will play outfield and pitch as a left-hander.

Factoring in all those options on the mound with returning pitchers Brennan Jones and Gavin McCoy, along with recoveries from McCaslin, Sanders and McClain Ray, and Carson feels that his pitching staff could be a special unit this season.

However, the Rangers' optimism isn't solely confined to the mound. Northwest also boasts a mix of sophomores and freshmen in the field and at the plate that made a difference in the fall exhibition schedule. Hallas Lawson, a catcher and first baseman from Hernando, and Lake Reed from Tupelo are two newcomers that have caught Carson's attention.

"Offensively and defensively, we have some guys that played on some really good high school teams," Carson said. "Hallas was one of the biggest surprises in the fall, and Lake is going to be a good player for us as well."

Mason McMillin is expected to also get a lot of playing time in the outfield, and the aforementioned Sanders is someone that Carson feels will be a big part of the Rangers' performance at the plate. 

"I expect him to hit in the middle of our order," Carson said, on Sanders. "He had a really good fall for us and hit about .375 with a couple home runs, and he drew 16 walks as well in 64 plate appearances. That was a really big fall for him. Meyer Maddox also did well at the plate, hitting .345 with a couple home runs and 15 RBIs. He only struck out five times in 41 plate appearances."

Much like last season, Northwest will fly under the radar to open February, entering the year unranked and without receiving votes. While the Rangers did eventually crack the NJCAA Division II baseball rankings midway through the 2024 campaign, the spotlight will be on teams like East Central and Pearl River, which were voted as the No. 2 and No. 5 teams in the preseason rankings released two weeks ago. Additionally, Jones College and Meridian were also ranked, checking in at No. 12 and No. 20, respectively. 

Before getting to the MACCC slate however, Northwest will be tested by a long non-conference schedule in the month of February. The Rangers open the season on Saturday, Feb. 1 against Bevill State, before hosting Columbia State and Lake Land College. The first true road game for NWCC won't occur until Feb. 26, when Carson's club visits Northeast for a non-conference round-robin, which also includes Itawamba.

Coverage of all home games will be provided on Ranger TV, with Josh Guest and Northwest sports information director Brian Lentz on the call.