MERIDIAN - The Northwest Mississippi Community College baseball team (5-3) split a pair of games with eventual conference foes Meridian Community College (7-1) and #2 Pearl River Community College (10-3) on Tuesday afternoon at Scaggs Field in a pair of non-conference games.
Game 1- NWCC 7 Meridian 3
In a game that saw Meridian only issue two walks, the Rangers turned to their hitting abilities to push them across the finish line for the win.
Against a perennial conference opponent, the Rangers were able to jump out to an early three run lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Both the Eagles and Rangers held their ground defensively for the next several innings.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, MCC scored three runs to make it a tied game going into the second half of the contest. The only inning Meridian was able to score in was the bottom of the fourth.
On the flip side, Northwest was able to score at least one run in each of the last three innings to go along with the three runs they scored in the opening inning to secure the victory.
In his three at bats, Hallas Lawson had three hits, one of which was a homerun. Freshman South McCoy also had a phenomenal day at the plate, going 2-3 with two RBIs.
Walker Sanders contributed to NWCC's offensive domination in the victory over Meridian with a homerun of his own. Mason McMillin and Corey Watkins added doubles to the Rangers' hit tally with Watkins bringing home a runner with his double.
The Northwest defense was able to provide the necessary support the offense required to propel the Rangers to victory. Will Howell got the start and went 3.2 innings only allowing three hits and three runs but striking out three batters. In the fourth inning, Preston Johnson came in for relief, going 3.1 innings and allowed one hit while not allowing a run to be scored and striking out two.
Game 2 - NWCC 3 Pearl River 7
Facing #2 Pearl River, in the second game of the day, Northwest was not able to replicate the same offensive success they had in the first game.
However, all was not lost for the Rangers as Evan Lightsey hit a two-run homerun to score the majority of the Rangers' runs. The other player to record an RBI for Northwest was Hayes Hooker. Although he was not able to bring a runner home, sophomore Walker Sanders was the only other player to have a hit that garnered extra bases.
The NWCC bullpen struggled to find its footing. Starter Derrin Randle gave up five runs on six hits while only striking out one batter in 2.1 innings.
John Griffin Lane fared better in his relief appearance giving up one run on two hits in one inning of work. In two-thirds of an inning of work, Robbins also gave up one run on two hits.
UP NEXT
With one game on Friday and two games on Saturday, the Rangers will host Illinois Central in Senatobia for a nonconference weekend series at Jim Miles Field. The game on Friday, February 20 will start at 2 p.m., and the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, February 21 at 2 p.m. with the second game being played at 5 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
All NWCC home games will be streamed on https://nwccrangers.com/watch/.
To stay up to date on the NWCC baseball team, follow the Ranger social media accounts or go to nwccrangers.com.
