SENATOBIA - A strong starting performance from Eli Deberry in the first game and a relief victory for Tyler Sullivan in the nightcap helped lift Northwest to an 8-4 and 8-5 sweep of SAU Tech on Saturday afternoon.

Northwest scored six runs in the first two innings of the opening game and Walker Maranto provided two more on a two-run double late in the first game. In the nightcap, the Rangers used a five-run rally in the bottom of the sixth to deny the Rockets a win in the finale.

Deberry (2-0) struck out a career-high nine batters in five complete frames in the opener, while Drew Lamb and Tatum Turner combined for four strikeouts in four innings of relief. Northwest also scattered five hits throughout the lineup, highlighted by doubles from Maranto and Jackson Jenkins. 

In the nightcap, Sullivan (2-0) pitched the final two innings in relief, garnering the win with three strikeouts and no runs allowed. The Rangers finished with eight hits, highlighted by a 2-for-3 effort from Rob Hayes.

Northwest moved to 15-4 overall as SAU Tech dropped to 1-14 on the season. The Rangers are slated to face Coahoma and East Mississippi on Tuesday, March 4 at 11 A.M. and 5 P.M., respectively.


Game 1 - Northwest 8, SAU Tech 4

Northwest scattered six runs over the first two frames and the Rangers held off SAU Tech with a two-run frame in the seventh inning.

After Deberry sent the Rockets down in order in the top half of the first, Meyer Maddox drew a leadoff walk and Jenkins doubled through the right side, scoring the first Northwest run. Jenkins later scored on a passed ball with two outs, giving Northwest a 2-0 advantage.

SAU Tech was retired once again in the top of the second, the Rangers tacked on four runs in the bottom of the inning. Maranto reached on an error to lead off the inning, and Hallas Lawson followed with a single to right field. A wild pitch then scored Maranto, stretching the lead to 3-0.

Later, an error on Jenkins' at-bat allowed Lawson and Meyer Maddox, pushing the Northwest lead to 5-0. With two outs, Lang followed with a single to the shortstop, scoring Jenkins and giving the Rangers a 6-0 advantage.

SAU Tech broke up the shutout in the top of the third, as the Rockets kept the inning alive when Drake Aycock struck out, but reached first base on a passed ball. Case Butterfield then singled up the middle and Austin Morris brought in the first run on a single to third base.

After Northwest was retired in order in the bottom of the third, SAU Tech scraped an additional run across in the top of the fourth, as Braden Brown doubled down the left field line, closing the gap to 6-2.

Though the Rockets threatened in the top of the fifth, a groundout to second base left a pair of runners stranded in scoring position. SAU Tech did finally score on an RBI-grounder off the bat of Ethan Martin in the top of the sixth, inching the Rockets one run closer.

Needing a spark in the seventh, Northwest got a pair of runners on base after Mason McMillin and Levi Lang were hit by pitches. SAU Tech then used two fielder's choices to get two outs, but Maranto's two-run double dropped in right center, scoring Hayes and Walker Sanders.

Although the Rockets scored an additional run off an error in the top of the eighth, SAU Tech left a runner stranded in the ninth, as Turner shut the door on any glimmer of a rally.

Rylee Wickliffe (1-3) was handed the loss for the Rockets, tossing a pair of strikeouts against three walks, five unearned runs and four base hits in five total frames. Paris Watson and Tristan Patterson combined for the final three innings of relief, combining for two strikeouts against a walk and two earned runs.

SAU Tech finished with six base hits, highlighted by a 2-for-5 effort from Morris and a double from Brown.


Game 2 - Northwest 8, SAU Tech 5

SAU Tech led for most of the second game, but a five-run rally by Northwest in the sixth inning pulled the Rangers ahead for good.

Brady Stinnett held off an early threat from the Rockets in the top of the first, but SAU Tech broke through in the second, as a wild pitch scored Jordan Knox. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the third inning allowed Morris to score and a passed ball added another run, extending the lead to 3-0.

Northwest finally got some momentum in the bottom of the fourth, as Hayes and Mason Gillentine reached base on a pair of singles. Then, Walker Sanders picked the right time for his first collegiate homer, blasting a shot to left center and tying the game at 3-3.

However, SAU Tech regained the lead in the top of the fifth, as Peyton Brown reached base on a double. Tristan Patterson followed with a two-run homer to left field, giving the Rockets a 5-3 advantage.

Northwest was retired in order in the bottom of the fifth, but Sullivan also shut down SAU Tech in the top of the sixth. That's when the Rangers kickstarted a rally in the home half of the sixth, starting with an error at second base in Gillentine's at-bat.

Hayes followed with a bunt single and Maranto stepped up in a pinch-hit situation, delivering a single through the left side. Lake Reed then brought in the tying and go-ahead runs on his two-run single in the same spot, and Northwest got a pair of insurance runs off Maddox' sacrifice fly to left field and John Whit Snopek's single through the left side.

Now with the lead for the first time, the Rangers shut down the Rockets in the top of the seventh, securing the sweep.

Northwest finished the game with eight hits, led by two from Hayes and the three-run homer from Sanders. Sullivan earned the win with three strikeouts, allowing two walks and no runs over two complete innings.

Stinnett lasted five innings for the Rangers, striking out four batters against two walks, two earned runs and five hits.

SAU Tech finished with six hits, highlighted by Patterson's 3-for-4 effort, a home run and two RBIs. Butterfield also finished 2-for-3 and Brown ended the evening with a double.

Colby Rosenquest had a strong start on the mound for the Rockets, delivering seven strikeouts against a pair of walks, three earned runs and four base hits in five total innings.

Draven McSpadden was handed the loss after allowing four total runs in the sixth inning, though only one run was earned. Ethan Busch also faced one batter in the inning, surrendering an earned run and a walk Read Full Article