SENATOBIA - Two pitchers stole the show for their respective teams in Tuesday's split between No. 8 Northwest and No. 10 Northeast.

Ramsey Montgomery went the distance in a 5-1 win for the Tigers, while Morgen Brewton pitched her eighth complete game of the season in the nightcap, helping the Rangers hang on for a 7-6 victory.

Both teams dueled at the plate as well, especially in the finale. Northeast finished with nine base hits, compared to seven from Northwest, but the Rangers were carried by Ellie Fryar's 2-for-3 effort and home runs from Carleigh Calarco and Sommer Tyes. The Tigers were led by four home runs in the Game 2 loss, including three from Madison Holcomb in the leadoff slot.

In the Game 1 loss, it took Northwest a while to get its first base hit against Montgomery, but the Rangers finished the game scattering five through the lineup. 

With the split, Northwest improved to 28-6 on the year and 9-5 in the MACCC, surpassing last season's overall win total. Northeast moved to 32-4 overall and 13-3 in conference play.

Next up for the Rangers is a road doubleheader at Southwest Mississippi, scheduled for April 5, weather permitting. 


Game 1 - #10 Northeast 5, #8 Northwest 1

Northeast did most of its damage in the third inning, scoring three of its five runs in a 5-1 victory, handing Northwest its first home loss of the season.

With two outs in the first inning, Hailey Minchew got on base with a single, then stole second base. That was followed by Sophie Gant's RBI-single to center, allowing Minchew to cross the plate as the Tigers' first run.

Montgomery then retired the Rangers in order, only for Abby Rogers to do the same to Northeast in the top of the second. However, Northwest was still unable to get a hit in the bottom of the second, keeping the 1-0 deficit in place.

Madelyn Savage got the three-run effort going in the third with her single to right field and a walk to Holcomb put two Tigers on base. Leah Walker's double to left field resulted in two more runs scoring and Minchew drove in another on an RBI-double to left center, pushing the Northeast lead to 4-0.

With Northwest still unable to get past Montgomery in the third, the Tigers added another run in the fourth, scoring off a two-out error. Fryar finally got the Rangers' first base hit in the bottom of the fourth, but the inning ended with no runs to show for it.

Rogers kept Northeast off the board over the next two frames, keeping Northwest within striking distance. In the bottom of the sixth, Kaylee Reed led off the inning with a single to left field and Thenya Kennedy followed with a base hit of her own. However, two quick outs forced the Rangers to settle for one run, thanks to Carly Dunigan's single up the middle.

Catelyn Brown left Northeast scoreless in the top of the seventh and Jenn Smith provided the Rangers with a flicker of hope in the bottom of the seventh, dropping a two-out single to left field. However, an infield groundout ended any chance of a Northwest rally, preserving yet another win for Montgomery and the Tigers.

Montgomery (18-0) struck out five batters with no walks allowed and only one run given up, while Rogers (6-3) was handed the loss for the Rangers, despite earning three strikeouts against four walks and four earned runs.

Minchew went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI to lead Northeast, while Walker and Adin Shelton each finished with doubles. Northwest scattered all five of its base hits through the lineup.


Game 2 - #8 Northwest 7, #10 Northeast 6

A four-run first inning made the biggest difference for Northwest, as the Rangers outlasted a battle with Northeast.

Northeast nearly struck first though, as Minchew singled through the left side with two outs in the top of the first inning. Gant followed with a double to deep center, seemingly scoring Minchew, only for the umpires to rule that Minchew left base early, thus resulting in the third out and wiping the run off the board.

After Kennedy drew a leadoff walk against Tigers' starter Maddie Mask, Dunigan also reached base on a walk and Tyes sent a double to center field, scoring Kennedy from third. Calarco then cleared the bases with a massive three-run homer to left, giving Northwest an early 4-0 advantage.

Like clockwork however, Northeast responded in the top of the second, as Sydney Bean rounded the bases on an inside-the-park home run. With Mask retiring the Rangers in the bottom half of the inning, the Tigers trimmed the deficit to one, as Holcomb's two-run homer to center brought the score within 4-3.

Fryar led off the bottom of the third with a single and Dunigan doubled to center, tacking on another run for the Rangers. Calarco grounded out to the shortstop, but Dunigan scored from third on the play, pushing the Northwest lead back to 6-3.

With neither team able to do much in the fourth, Northeast answered yet again in the top of the fifth, as Savage led off the frame with a single and scored on Holcomb's two-run homer to left, closing the gap to 6-5. Fryar responded with a solo homer of her own in the bottom of the fifth, pushing the Rangers back ahead by two runs.

Northeast threatened in the top of the sixth, but the Tigers left two runners stranded. Northwest had its own chances to add insurance runs in the home half of the same inning, but Aubrey Massing was left at third base to end the frame.

Holcomb led off the top of the seventh with a solo homer to right center, her third home run of the game, bringing Northeast back within a run. However, Brewton forced the Tigers into three straight outs, allowing the Rangers to hang on for the win.

Brewton (16-2) went the distance in the circle for Northwest, striking out seven batters against two walks and six earned runs. Mask (12-1) was issued her first loss of the season after giving up six of the Rangers' seven runs, with Montgomery allowing a run in two innings of relief.

Savannah Mitchell also picked up a pair of strikeouts in two innings of relief for Northeast.

Fryar went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Northwest, with Dunigan and Tyes finished with a double apiece. Holcomb went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Tigers, with Bean and Savage accounting for two base hits each. Read Full Article