Baseball April 02, 2016

Rangers and Tigers Split Twin Bill

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Leading Off - Game One
Score: Ouachita Baptist 5 – Northwestern 4
Records: Ouachita Baptist (10-21, 6-14 GAC) – Northwestern (11-24, 8-12 GAC)
Location: Glass Family Field at Myers Stadium - Alva, Okla.

ALVA, Okla - Northwestern Oklahoma State and Ouachita Baptist squared off for two games this afternoon with the first one going the Tigers' way in a close 5-4 decision.

At The Plate

Six total Ranger batters earned hits in the game, with Xyruse Martinez and Garrett Douglas collecting two or more.
Martinez had a great game at the dish going 3-for-4 with a homerun.
Douglas missed getting on base just once in his plate appearances going 2-for-3.

The K Zone

Matt Bickford got the start in game one of the doubleheader and went six innings and had a pretty good outing, giving up just two hits, but three runs, all earned.
Dakota Stanek came in to relieve Bickford in the top of the seventh and was solid for the home team, pitching two full innings, giving up no hits while earning a strikeout.
With the lead going into the top of the eighth, Jon Bauer came in to close it out, but was unsuccessful as he gave up the tying run on one hit and three walks.
The top of the 10th was another tough inning for Northwestern, giving up the go-ahead run, which ultimately ended it. Brody Ausfahl was the pitcher of record in the final inning.

Game Changer

The top of the first was a huge inning for Northwestern as a run was scored on a fielder's choice, after which Martinez hit a deep ball over the right field fence to make it a 3-0 early lead.
Neither team scored another run until the fifth inning when a Ouachita hitter hit a three-run shot to left field to tie it up at three apiece.
In the bottom half of the inning, The Rangers went ahead again at 4-3 and held that advantage until the top of the ninth frame.
The hosts threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but were unable to bring home a run, sending it to the 10th where it would end in defeat.

Leading Off - Game Two
Score: Ouachita Baptist 1 – Northwestern 4
Records: Ouachita Baptist (10-22, 6-15 GAC), Northwestern (12-24, 9-12 GAC)
Location: Glass Family Field at Myers Stadium - Alva, Okla.

ALVA, Okla - After a tough outing in game one, Northwestern's offense came alive in game two, as the Ranger hitters accounted for 12 hits in the 4-1 victory.

At The Plate

Four different batters had two or more hits in the game in Douglas, Thomas Bess, Martinez and Colton Krokroskia.
Bess had a banner game at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 while getting three legs of the cycle, earning a homer, a double and a single.
Martinez, Douglas and Krokroskia also had quality games at the dish as all went 2-for-3 while crossing the plate twice and earning an RBI between the three.
The other three Black-and-Red batters to take advantage were Jacob Long (1-3), Jeremy Smith (1-3) and Matt Benn (1-3).

The K Zone

Robert Lawhon began game two on the mound and mowed down the Ouachita batters early and often and didn't stop the entire game as he dominated the visiting Tigers, fanning 10 batters, while allowing just three hits and a run scored.
The 10 strikeouts bring his K count to 67 on the season, second in the Great American Conference this season.

Game Changer

Once again the Rangers jumped out to an advantage in the first as Martinez roped a single to right field, scoring Long from third who also arrived on base off a single and was moved over by Bess who also had a single to right field.
The Rangers didn't cross the plate for another two innings, but a Bess homer to Center scored Douglas who also reached on a single. Another big swing, this one by Jeremy Smith scored Martinez from third who reached on a launched double to center field. With the three-run inning, Northwestern took the 4-0 lead.
Ouachita was able to plate a run in the sixth, but it wouldn't be enough as Lawhon and the Rangers shut the door in the final inning, following a three-strikeout inning by the Ranger pitcher.

On Deck

Northwestern will travel for their next series where they will make their way to Arkadelphia, Ark. to take on Henderson State next Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, beginning Friday evening at 6 p.m.

For the latest information on Ranger Baseball, follow @NWOSUAthletics on Twitter or go to www.riderangersride.com.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#31 Brody Ausfahl: LHP; 5' 10"; Senior

#21 Matt Benn: INF/OF; 6' 2"; Senior

#29 Matthew Bickford: RHP; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#8 Xyruse Martinez: INF/RHP; 5' 11"; Junior

#12 Jeremy Smith: UTL; 5' 8"; Senior

#3 Colton Krokroskia: OF; 5' 7"; Junior

#36 Dakota Stanek: RHP; 6' 6"; Junior

#1 Garrett Douglas: OF; 5' 11"; Junior

#22 Jacob Long: OF; 5' 10"; Junior

#32 Jon Bauer: P; 5' 10"; Junior

#26 Robert Lawhon: RHP; 6' 3"; Senior

#18 Thomas Bess: OF; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#31 Brody Ausfahl
: 5' 10"; Senior
: LHP

#21 Matt Benn
: 6' 2"; Senior
: INF/OF

#29 Matthew Bickford
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: RHP

#8 Xyruse Martinez
: 5' 11"; Junior
: INF/RHP

#12 Jeremy Smith
: 5' 8"; Senior
: UTL

#3 Colton Krokroskia
: 5' 7"; Junior
: OF

#36 Dakota Stanek
: 6' 6"; Junior
: RHP

#1 Garrett Douglas
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OF

#22 Jacob Long
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OF

#32 Jon Bauer
: 5' 10"; Junior
: P

#26 Robert Lawhon
: 6' 3"; Senior
: RHP

#18 Thomas Bess
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: OF