Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MOORHEAD - With a close 7-6 victory in the first of two games at Mississippi Delta on Tuesday afternoon, Northwest head coach Mark Carson finally surpassed a long-standing milestone.

Carson, a longtime fixture around the Rangers' baseball program, picked up his 557th career win and surpassed Jim Miles as the all-time winningest baseball coach at Northwest. He later earned his 558th victory with an 11-5 decision in the nightcap.

A native of Independence and a member of the Independence High School Sports Hall of Fame, Carson played under Miles at Northwest from 1988-89, before continuing his playing career at Southern Miss (1990-91). After a brief stint in the Cincinnati Reds organization and an initial coaching stint at Briarcrest Christian School, Carson returned to NWCC as an assistant coach on Donny Castle's staff from 1998-2005.

It was the 2006 season where Carson was promoted to the head coaching role, earning his first win as the Rangers' head coach with a 3-0 win against Northeast on February 21, 2006 in Memphis. Since then, he has guided Northwest to 17 winning seasons, including nine with 30 wins or more. In 2007, he led NWCC to the NJCAA Division II World Series.

Northwest will host "A Day of Celebration" on Saturday, March 22, surrounding the Rangers' 2/5 P.M. doubleheader against Copiah-Lincoln. Beginning at 1 P.M., BBQ plates will be sold beyond right field and blues music will be performed by Northwest alumnus Terry "Harmonica" Bean, and Carson will be honored in a pregame ceremony at 1:45 P.M.

Additionally, members of the 1996 NJCAA Division II World Series team will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and special guests will get a behind the scenes tour of the new baseball facility in between games.

Both games will be broadcast on Ranger TV, with Northwest sports information director Brian Lentz.


Game 1 - Northwest 7, Mississippi Delta 6

Northwest held a commanding 7-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning and successfully held off a late five-run rally, preserving the win against Mississippi Delta.

A single from Levi Lang got the Rangers on the board in the top of the first, and he struck again in the top of the third, scoring Lake Reed and giving Northwest a 2-1 advantage.

In the top of the fourth, the Rangers added a pair of runs off a double from Jackson Jenkins and a sacrifice fly from Reed. Northwest loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, scoring on a couple bases loaded walks, stretching the lead to 7-1.

That's when the Trojans came marching back. In the home half of the seventh inning, an error at third base allowed a run to score and a sacrifice fly to center field cut the deficit to 7-3.

Mississippi Delta led off the eighth with a pair of leadoff singles and an error on a sac bunt attempt resulted in another run for the Trojans. A fielder's choice and another Northwest error allowed two more runs to score, bringing MDCC back within a run.

However, relief pitcher Brennan Jones successfully navigated through the rest of the frame, forcing the Trojans into another fielder's choice and a fly out to second base. In the bottom of the ninth, a lone single was all Mississippi Delta could get, as the rally came to a halt.

Both teams combined for 21 base hits, but the Rangers were also charged with three errors in the contest. Lang led the efforts at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Reed and Hallas Lawson accounted for two hits each, including a double from Reed.

Cade Oswalt led Mississippi Delta with a 3-for-5 output and an RBI. Cristian Bridges and Junior Diaz accounted for two base hits each.

On the mound, Connor McCaslin improved to 4-0 for Northwest, striking out six and issuing a pair of walks in six complete innings. The Arlington, Tenn. native also allowed just one earned run against six base hits. 

Jones tossed the final three frames for the Rangers, allowing three earned runs in three complete innings.

Kevin Hill was handed the loss for the Trojans, despite five strikeouts in 5.2 frames. The Mississippi Delta starter also walked five batters and gave up six earned runs. Blake Channell struck out three batters in 3.1 innings of relief, issuing eight walks.


Game 2 - Northwest 11, Mississippi Delta 5

Trailing 3-1 after four innings in the books, Northwest scored 10 runs over the final two frames, pulling away for the sweep.

An error by the Trojans' shortstop allowed the Rangers to plate the first run of the game in the top of the second, but a big third inning from Mississippi Delta pushed Northwest into a 3-1 deficit. An error, a double by Diaz and a sac bunt from Connor Counts contributed to the three MDCC runs.

A leadoff error in the top of the fifth kickstarted the Rangers' rally, as Lawson followed with a single and John Whit Snopek doubled to left field, scoring two and tying the game. With two outs, Mason Gillentine tripled to center, tacking on three more runs and giving Northwest a 6-3 lead.

Mississippi Delta got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, only to give up five more runs in the next half-inning. Mason McMillin doubled to add a pair of runs and a single to left field from Walker Sanders pushed the lead to 9-4, and a dropped third strike sent Sanders across the plate. 

Gillentine's double to left field accounted for the Rangers' final run. Meanwhile, the Trojans got a sac fly in the bottom of the sixth, but nothing more over the remaining two frames.

Tyler Sullivan (3-1) earned the win on the mound for Northwest, garnering five strikeouts against four walks and two earned runs in five complete innings. McClain Ray started the game, pitching two complete innings with a strikeout, a walk and a pair of earned runs given up.

Riley Caygle was handed the loss for MDCC, striking out two batters against four walks and five unearned runs in five complete frames. 

At the plate, Northwest accounted for eight base hits, led by Gillentine's 3-for-4 effort, which included a double, a triple and four RBIs. Lawson also finished 2-for-4, and McMillin and Snopek accounted for a double each.

Oswalt once again led the Trojans at the plate, finishing 3-for-4, followed by two base hits each from Bridges, Diaz and Briar Turner. In all, Mississippi Delta finished with 11 base hits in the loss.