SENATOBIA - Several special events have been announced surrounding this Saturday's baseball doubleheader between Northwest and Copiah-Lincoln at Jim Miles Field

BBQ, blues and baseball will be a focal point of Saturday's "Day of Celebration", highlighted by the return of Northwest baseball alums and a pregame ceremony honoring Mark Carson as the Rangers' all-time winningest coach.

Saturday's events begin with BBQ plates available for purchase beginning at 1 P.M. Northwest alumnus Terry "Harmonica" Bean will also perform prior to the opening game, scheduled for 2 P.M.

Also planned around 1:45 P.M. will be a pregame ceremony honoring Carson as the program's all-time winningest coach. A former Northwest baseball student-athlete and assistant coach, Carson began his tenure as the Northwest skipper in 2006, clinching his 557th career win in Wednesday's 7-6 victory at Mississippi Delta. Miles held the previous record of 556 victories, coaching at Northwest from 1976-97.

A ceremonial first pitch will also be thrown out by members of the Rangers' 1996 NJCAA Division II World Series team, which finished as the national runners-up. The 1996 team also captured the NJCAA Region 23 Championship and runner-up finishes in the MACJC and former MACJC North Division.

Between games, special guests will also get a chance to tour the new baseball facility, located behind the home bleachers. The facility will have a formal ribbon cutting later this spring.

As for Saturday's opponent, Copiah-Lincoln enters the matchup with a record of 20-11 overall and 4-2 in the MACCC. The Wolves are winners of three straight games and are coming off a rivalry sweep of Southwest Mississippi.

In the all-time series, Northwest holds a 36-13 advantage. The two teams first met during the 1990 season, with the Rangers earning a 10-4 road win.

Both of Saturday's games will also be carried on Ranger TV.