SCOOBA - One of the final road trips of the regular season ended with a split for the Northwest baseball team on Tuesday afternoon, as the Rangers followed up a 6-2 loss in Game 1 with a 5-2 victory in the nightcap at East Mississippi.
Northwest finished with eight hits in the opener, but only scored one run each in the third and fifth innings. In the finale, the Rangers used a pair of 2-for-3 efforts from
Rob Hayes and
Mason McMillin, as well as solid efforts on the mound from
McClain Ray (3-0) and
Brady Stinnett.
With the split, Northwest moved to 27-16 overall and 10-12 against MACCC competition. Currently eighth in the latest conference standings, the Rangers will return home to host Meridian on Friday, April 18 and Itawamba in the home finale on Wednesday, April 23. The doubleheader against ICC will also serve as Sophomore Day.
Both doubleheaders will be carried on
Ranger TV.Â
Game 1 - East Mississippi 6, Northwest 2
East Mississippi turned a 2-1 lead into a two-run effort in the fourth inning and Northwest surrendered two more in the seventh, falling 6-2 in the opener.
Though the Rangers finished with eight base hits in the loss, Northwest finished the final four innings scoreless, allowing the Lions to secure the win.
McMillin and
Mason Gillentine accounted for two base hits each, with McMillin,
Levi Lang and
John Whit Snopek earning credit for one double apiece. The Rangers also committed three errors in the loss.
Connor McCaslin (4-2) was handed the loss on the mound for Northwest, striking out five batters against three walks and two earned runs in four complete frames.
Gavin McCoy and
Jace Robinson also pieced together the remaining four innings of relief, combining for four strikeouts and four walks.
Evan Hilliard (3-3) picked up the win for East Mississippi, striking out six Rangers in six complete innings. Sam Malone picked up the save with three innings of relief, garnering four strikeouts and no runs allowed.
Caiden Bullard and Josh King led the charge at the plate for the Lions, finishing with two base hits each.Â
Game 2 - Northwest 5, East Mississippi 2
Behind nine base hits and two big innings, Northwest avenged the Game 1 loss to East Mississippi, leaving with the road split.
All five of the Rangers' runs came in the fourth and fifth innings, while the Lions scored one run each in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings.
Hayes, McMillin and
Tyler Sullivan combined for six of the nine base hits for Northwest, while
Austin Batts doubled for his lone hit.
On the mound, Ray struck out three and walked a pair of EMCC batters in 5.1 innings. Stinnett picked up his second career save with a strikeout in 1.2 scoreless frames.
Otis Brooks III (1-2) was handed the loss for the Lions, finishing with two strikeouts, two walks and two runs allowed in three full innings. East Mississippi also scattered all six of its base hits through the lineup, with Jayson Smith, Jr. earning a triple.
