SENATOBIA - Three Northwest pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts as the Rangers picked up a 6-2 victory against Illinois Central, clinching the weekend sweep.
Brady Stinnett (2-0) got the start for Northwest, issuing seven strikeouts in six innings.
Jace Robinson earned the save in relief, striking out two batters over the final 1.2 frames, while
Gideon Deaton pitched 1.1 innings of relief.
Meanwhile, both teams combined for 11 hits, with
Jackson Jenkins highlighting Northwest with a 2-for-4 effort.
Mason McMillin also homered in the win and
Meyer Maddox finished with a double.
Both teams were held scoreless until the third inning, when Jenkins singled up the middle and Lang scored another run on a sacrifice fly. Illinois Central added a run in the top of the fourth, but McMillin's homer in the fifth helped Northwest stay ahead with a 3-1 lead.
A leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth was followed by a single from Lawson, and
Walker Maranto crossed the plate while Lawson attempted to steal second, further extending the Rangers' lead to 4-1.
Illinois Central got a run back off a wild pitch in the top of the seventh, only for
Rob Hayes to add another Northwest run off a sacrifice fly to center.
John Whit Snopek added another sac fly in the eighth and Robinson kept the Cougars off the board in the ninth.
With the win, the Rangers improved to 12-3 overall, running the winning streak to eight games. Northwest returns to action on Wednesday in Booneville, taking on Itawamba at 2 P.M. and Northeast at 5 P.M.
