SENATOBIA - Northwest held off a rally from Coahoma to earn a 7-6 win in Wednesday's opener and the Rangers' pitching staff combined for the 2-0 shutout in the nightcap.

With the wins, the Rangers moved to 26-13 overall and 9-9 in the MACCC, picking up their first sweep since a road twinbill at Mississippi Delta on March 18. Meanwhile, the Tigers dropped to 9-25 on the season and 3-11 in conference play.

Despite earning the sweep, Northwest was held to a combined eight base hits, four in each game. Tyler Sullivan went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Rangers in the opener, while Mason Gillentine finished 2-for-3 with an RBI in the finale.

On the mound, Northwest used four pitchers to piece together the Game 1 victory. Gideon Deaton (1-0) was the game's most effective reliever, striking out two batters and allowing no runs in 2.2 innings of work, while Tatum Turner garnered three strikeouts in the final 1.2 frames, earning his first collegiate save.

McClain Ray (2-0) pitched five shutout innings in the nightcap, collecting three strikeouts, while Sullivan also issued three strikeouts to earn his first career save.

Next up for the Rangers is a road trip to Mississippi Gulf Coast, scheduled for Saturday, April 12 at 2/5 P.M. The Bulldogs (28-14, 10-6 MACCC) are currently fifth in the MACCC standings, while Northwest is just behind MGCCC in sixth place.

Tickets for the doubleheader can be purchased at this link, with broadcast coverage available at mgcccbulldogs.com/watch.


Game 1 - Northwest 7, Coahoma 6

Though Northwest never trailed in the 7-6 Game 1 win, Coahoma made things interesting throughout the contest, with the Tigers' late rally falling short.

Sullivan led off the game with a single to right field, then advanced two bases on a wild pitch and a flyout to right field. A groundout to the shortstop off the bat of Mason McMillin allowed the Rangers to pull ahead for the early 1-0 lead.

Coahoma tied the game with a bases-loaded walk in the top half of the third inning, but Northwest quickly erased the Tigers' progress with a three-run frame in the home half of the third. A wild pitch allowed Sullivan to score the go-ahead run and John Whit Snopek's sacrifice fly to left field allowed Gillentine to score, bringing the lead to 3-1.

A wild pitch on a walk to Walker Maranto brought in McMillin from third, extending the Rangers' advantage to 4-1.

Walks and wild pitches helped Coahoma answer back in the top half of the fourth inning, as the Tigers pulled back within a run. However, Northwest added an additional run on a sacrifice fly from Sullivan in the bottom of the inning, pushing the score to a 5-3 margin.

After Deaton retired the side in the top of the fifth, the Rangers picked up another run in the bottom of the same inning, as McMillin scored on what turned out to be a double play off the bat of Maranto. McMillin once again scored the final run of the game for Northwest in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to another wild pitch from Coahoma.

Leading 7-3 entering the eighth inning, the Rangers surrendered a leadoff single, followed by a fielder's choice and a walk. Evan Wright would then mash a three-run homer to left center, bringing the Tigers within a 7-6 margin.

However, the rally came to a screeching halt after that, as Turner entered the game and promptly ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts. The freshman from Bruce also started off the ninth with a strikeout of Will Riley, before forcing Coahoma into a lineout and a fly ball to right field.

Though Deaton earned the win on the mound, Connor McCaslin started the game for Northwest, pitching four strikeouts against three walks with three earned runs given up in 3.1 frames. Jace Robinson also pitched 1.1 innings of relief, allowing three runs and a walk.

Miscues piled up for the Coahoma pitching staff, as the Tigers' duo of Hunter Hill (0-4) and Justin Hall accounted for nine walks, five wild pitches and two hit-by-pitches. Hill took the loss, allowing four runs and five walks in the first 2.2 innings, while Hall finished out the final 5.1 frames, garnering a pair of strikeouts against four walks and two earned runs.

Wright led the charge at the plate for the Tigers, accounting for two of the team's six base hits, including the eighth-inning homer. 


Game 2 - Northwest 2, Coahoma 0

Ray and Sullivan combined for seven shutout innings on the mound, as Northwest battled to a 2-0 win in the nightcap.

Gillentine provided the first run of the game for the Rangers, delivering a single to center field, scoring Meyer Maddox. Maranto's single through the left side in the bottom of the fourth scored McMillin, setting up the lead for Northwest.

Neither team hit the ball well, as both Coahoma and the Rangers finished with four base hits each. McMillin hit a triple in his only base hit and Gillentine finished 2-for-3. The Tigers were led by Colyn West's double and a 2-for-3 effort by Kari Michaels.

Andrew Paysinger (1-4) went the distance on the mound for Coahoma, but gave up two runs and three walks against three strikeouts. Read Full Article