WESSON - Facing another battle with an NJCAA Top 10 ranked opponent on Saturday afternoon, No. 9 Northwest dropped a pair of 7-3 and 2-1 losses to seventh-ranked Copiah-Lincoln.
Sophomore
Abby Rogers made appearances in both games for the Rangers, going the distance in the nightcap, striking out two batters against two earned runs with no walks allowed. The Brandon native also entered in relief of
Morgen Brewton during the opener, pitching the final 1.1 frames.
Northwest was held to a combined seven base hits, dropping to 23-5 on the season and 4-4 inside the MACCC. In contrast, Co-Lin moved to 23-3 overall and 10-0 inside the conference.
Next up for the Rangers is a midweek twinbill at Holmes, scheduled for Tuesday, March 25 in Goodman. The Lady Bulldogs (10-14, 1-9 MACCC) are in the midst of an eight-game losing skid, with their most recent losses coming at the hands of Pearl River over the weekend.
Fans unable to attend the games at Holmes can watch live at
holmesccmedia.com.
Game 1 - #7 Copiah-Lincoln 7, #9 Northwest 3
A two-run homer from
Emma Jennings helped the Rangers tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth, but Copiah-Lincoln scattered five runs over the final two innings, securing the win against Northwest.
Co-Lin scraped across a run in the bottom of the first, but Brewton kept the Lady Wolves off the board over the next two frames. Northwest surrendered an additional run in the home half of the fourth inning, but Jennings' homer tied the game in the fifth.
However, momentum quickly shifted back in the direction of Co-Lin, as the Lady Wolves regained a 4-2 advantage in the home half of the fifth. The Rangers scraped a run across the plate in the top of the sixth inning, only for Co-Lin to put the game out of reach with a three-run frame in the bottom of the sixth.
Northwest scattered all three of its hits across the batting order, with Jennings' homer and
Ellie Fryar's double being the main highlights. The Rangers also committed four errors in the field.
Brewton (12-2) was handed the loss, tossing 4.2 innings with a strikeout, a walk and two earned runs allowed. Rogers issued a walk and allowed an earned run in her 1.1 relief frames.
Co-Lin finished the game with nine base hits, led by a 3-for-4 effort from Olivia Banes, which included a double and two RBIs. Brelie Phillips also finished with a pair of hits, including a double.
Emily Richarde moved to 8-0 in the circle for the Lady Wolves, striking out six and surrendering a pair of walks and three earned runs in a complete-game effort.
Game 2 - #7 Copiah-Lincoln 2, #9 Northwest 1
Despite a solid outing in the circle from Rogers, it was Copiah-Lincoln that wound up on the better end of a pitcher's duel in the finale, as the Lady Wolves scored two runs in the sixth to secure the sweep.
Rogers and Taylor Efferson battled through a complete game for both pitchers, with neither team scoring until the fifth inning. That's when Fryar's single to center field brought in the go-ahead run for Northwest, giving the Rangers a 1-0 advantage.
However, the Lady Wolves finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth, as a leadoff single paved the way for a two-out, two-run double from Avery Williams, giving Co-Lin the 2-1 lead.
Northwest was then retired on three groundouts in the top of the seventh, preserving the win for the Lady Wolves.
Rogers (6-2) issued two strikeouts against two earned runs and no walks in a full six innings of work. On the other side, Efferson improved to 8-1 with five strikeouts, a walk and an earned run.
Rogers' double was the lone extra base hit for the Rangers, as Northwest scattered four base hits through the lineup. Co-Lin finished with five base hits, including a double each from Efferson, Williams and Abby Burnette.
