SENATOBIA – What began as a strong start for the #20 Northwest Mississippi Community College softball team (26-15, 18-8) turned into trouble in the opening game, but the Rangers battled back from an 16-2 loss in the opening game to #4 Copiah-Lincoln Community College (42-5, 23-3) to keep the second game close in a 4-2 loss that secured the seeding for NWCC in the upcoming Region 23 postseason as the fifth overall seed.
GAME 1 - #17 NWCC 2 #4 Copiah-Lincoln 16
The Wolves picked up the opening runs of the game with one in both the top of the first and the second as Meredith Dearman got the start in the opener of the doubleheader.
With the bases loaded in the first inning, Dearman would give up a walk to plate the first run, and a solo homerun by Ayari VanBlaircom plated a second run with two outs in the second inning.
Offensively, the Rangers struggled with getting any consistent production of their own, going down in order in the first two frames themselves.
After a scoreless third inning, the Wolves took control of the game with six runs coming home in the fourth, starting off with their second homerun of the game from Abby Burnette that scored two, and taking advantage of a string of hits from the top four in the order, which combined for nine hits and eight runs in the game.
Northwest did get an answer of their own in the bottom half with a two-out two-run homerun from Sela Mancini that scored Carleigh Calarco, and they would get another two baserunners from Allyson Christmas and Londen Armstrong, but a strikeout from Addison Lindley would end the inning with the lead back to 8-2.
The momentum didn't last long as Co-Lin got right back into the groove at the plate, teeing up for seven hits, and along with several walks were able to score eight runs in the inning to put the game out of reach and get the run rule win 16-2.
GAME 2 - #17 NWCC 2 #4 Copiah-Lincoln 4
It was Northwest that jumped out to the early advantage in the second game, taking advantage of a scoreless top of the first inning from Catelyn Brown by following up with a Calarco sacrifice fly in the bottom half to score Ava Claire Rhoden and giving the Rangers their first lead of the day.
The Wolves answered in the top of the third inning with two outs with a home run to left field that would flip the score to 2-1, but Northwest didn't let that sit for long, using another Rhoden single which led off the inning to score a run, working her around on a sacrifice bunt, a fly out to center which advanced her to third, and eventually scoring her on a wild pitch to tie the game at two.
Co-Lin didn't let the game remain tied for long, answering with a run of their own in the top of the fourth after a leadoff triple set up an RBI single to return the lead to them at 3-2. Brown would strand the bases loaded in the inning with a strikeout and a pop-out, and would limit the damage for the rest of the game to just one more run in the top of the seventh inning when an RBI double made it 4-2, but the Ranger offense couldn't come up with the clutch hit when they needed it.
Northwest had opportunities with the leadoff batter getting on in the fifth and the seventh innings, but starter Lily Crum would get through both with no damage being done on the scoreboard as the Rangers would drop just their second doubleheader of the season.
UP NEXT –
The Rangers will close out the season with a trip to #5 Pearl River Community College (38-6, 22-4) on Saturday afternoon to close out their season on the road in Poplarville. Game times have been moved up to Noon and 2 P.M. with streaming information available at nwccrangers.com.
The Region 23 Tournament is set to begin on Saturday, with the Rangers heading to Wesson for their pool. Joining them in the pool will be the host Copiah-Lincoln Community College, LSU-Eunice, and the winner of Saturday's play-in game between Hinds Community College and Southwest Mississippi Community College.
More information on the Region 23 tournament will be available at nwccrangers.com and you can keep track of all Northwest action in the tournament by following along on Ranger social media accounts.
