FULTON - Between extra innings and a weather delay, Wednesday's doubleheader at Itawamba had a little bit of everything.

More importantly for Northwest, the 13th-ranked Rangers battled through an eight-inning effort in Game 1 and rebounded from the weather delay in the nightcap, winning both games by a 6-4 final.

Morgen Brewton (22-2) recorded the win for Northwest in the opener and came back to earn her first save of the season in the finale. Abby Rogers (8-5) struck out five over 5.1 frames in Game 2 to pick up the win.

At the plate, the Rangers combined for 22 base hits, highlighted by two home runs from Sommer Tyes. The Baldwyn native now has a team-high 15 homers for the season, the third-most in a single season behind 24 and 18 from McKaylee "K.K." Polk during the 2023 and 2022 campaigns, respectively.

Carly Dunigan and Ellie Fryar finished with a pair of doubles in the nightcap, while Thenya Kennedy hit a triple for her only base hit.

With a 38-8 overall record, Northwest is now one win away from tying the program's single-season wins record, a 39-15 record set by the 2022 NJCAA Region 23 Championship team. The Rangers are also 19-7 in the MACCC, just two wins away from tying the program's conference/division wins record of 21, set back in 2009.

Next up for Northwest is the home finale against East Central, scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at 2/4 P.M. The doubleheader will also serve as Sophomore Day for the Rangers and broadcast coverage will be provided on Ranger TV.



Game 1 - #13 Northwest 6, Itawamba 4 (8 inn.)

A solo home run from Tyes and an additional insurance run helped Northwest put away Itawamba in an eight-inning battle.

In the first inning, it was the Rangers that struck first, thanks in part to an RBI-single off the bat of Lulu Franks. Northwest took a 2-0 lead all the way through the bottom of the fourth, when the Indians strung together a three-run frame.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Carleigh Calarco led off the inning with a single to center field, and Jenn Smith took over as the pinch runner. After a sacrifice bunt and a ground out put the Rangers down to their final out, freshman Kaylee Reed roped a single to center field, scoring Smith for the tying run.

Kennedy followed with a single and Fryar provided an insurance run on a single to center field, giving Northwest a 4-3 advantage.

However, the Indians answered back in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a pair of walks and a single that loaded the bases with one out. Another walk with the bases loaded allowed Itawamba to tie the game at 4-4 and the winning run stood a short distance away at third base.

It was at that point that Brewton re-entered the game after initially starting as the Rangers' pitcher, and the sophomore shut the rally down. The Mobile, Ala. native issued a strikeout and a ground out, sending the game to extra innings and denying the walk-off win for ICC.

With the very first pitch of the eighth inning, Tyes blasted a homer to right field, swinging the momentum back to Northwest. Franks and Calarco followed with back-to-back singles, and Addison Owen grounded into a fielder's choice to score Franks.

Brewton then retired the Indians in order in the bottom half of the eighth, sealing the win for the Rangers. The sophomore ace pitched 4.2 innings, striking out eight batters against a walk and an earned run, while Rogers tossed 3.1 frames of relief, issuing three strikeouts against three walks and an earned run.

Four Northwest players combined for eight of the Rangers' 11 base hits, with Calarco, Franks, Reed and Tyes finishing with two each. 

Itawamba was held to just five base hits, including two from Laklyn Nichols and a double from Maddie Porter. Alyssa Clifft (16-6) went the distance in the circle, issuing two strikeouts with no walks allowed.


Game 2 - #13 Northwest 6, Itawamba 4

Although it was Itawamba that captured the early momentum, Northwest combined for five runs over the course of the third and fourth innings, storming back to earn the sweep.

Back-to-back errors by the Rangers paved the way for the Indians to strike first, as one error allowed the game's first run. A.B. Marlar followed with an RBI-single to make it a 2-0 advantage for ICC, before three straight putouts stopped the bleeding.

Nichols helped the Indians add to their lead in the bottom of the second, as her hard-hit single to left field scored Jenna Whitfield, who reached base on a leadoff walk. 

Down 3-0 with two outs in the top of the third, a single from Fryar and a double from Dunigan helped Northwest score its first run. Tyes immediately followed with a two-run homer to left field, tying the game at 3-3.

After Rogers retired Itawamba in order in the bottom of the third, the game entered a weather delay that lasted roughly an hour. When play resumed in the top of the fourth, Kennedy's one-out triple to right field gave Northwest the lead and a sacrifice fly from Fryar made it a 5-3 advantage.

Kamdyn Taylor briefly provided a spark for the Indians in the bottom of the sixth, as her double scored Porter and brought ICC back within a run. However, Brewton arrived in relief for the Rangers and promptly issued back-to-back strikeouts to end the scoring threat.

Northwest picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh, thanks to an error in Tyes' at-bat and a groundout from Calarco. Itawamba was sent down in order in the home half of the inning, sending the Rangers home with the sweep.

In addition to Rogers' win, Brewton went 1.2 innings of relief to pick up the save, striking out two batters and allowing no walks or runs. Northwest once again ended the contest with 11 base hits, led by Fryar's 3-for-4 effort and two hits apiece from Calarco and Dunigan.

Ella Lilly (6-11) was handed the loss for the Indians, finishing with a pair of strikeouts and a walk against five earned runs allowed. She pitched 6.1 frames and Neely Hodum finished off the final two batters.

At the plate, Itawamba was held to four base hits, led by Marlar's 2-for-3 effort and Taylor's double. Read Full Article