ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State Softball rode a five-run 5^th inning to their second straight win in game one, but fell 7-2 in the second game after surrendering a crippling seven run 2^nd. Amber Mills and Kendall Jones had an excellent day for the black-and-red en-route to a doubleheader split with Great American Conference rival East Central University.

Game 1
Looking to build off their first conference win of the season, skipper Jill Webb sent righty Madison Garza to the rubber making her 12^th start of the year.

Both pitchers, Garza and ECU's Lindsay Wade impressed in the circle for the first three innings. It wasn't until the bottom of the 4^th that the Lady Rangers managed to break the deadlock.

Jordan Sutton sent a charge into the Northwestern dugout with a double to the wall in left. With Alexis Hayes coming in to pinch run, a Peyton Garrett hit up the middle scored the game's first run for the black-and-red.

On what was a cold, windy and rainy Saturday morning, the Tigers managed to put together a solid top of the 5^th, putting up 2 runs on 3 hits. Two singles followed by a double from Tiger DH Claresha Clemons scored the first run for ECU, before Breecia Crawford kept the inning alive with a persistent 15 pitch at bat that resulted in a walk, allowing East Central to add another run when Garza misplayed a slow roller back to the circle. But a line drive to Madi Parrott ended the frame after the shortstop fired the ball back to first to double off Ellanee Allison.

Finding themselves down 2-1 heading to the bottom of the 5^th, Northwestern wasn't about to let the Tigers stand in their way of the season's first win streak.  A big five run inning for the Rangers was capped off by a 3-run shot to center by senior first baseman Megan Sanders, scoring Audrey Estes and Macy Madewell.

With Kendall Jones taking over for Garza in the 6^th, the Tigers used a seeing-eye double down the line in left to cash in two runs to cut the Ranger lead to 6-4.

Despite getting hits from Amber Mills and Parrott in the inning, as well as a hit by pitch from McGraw, the Rangers were unable to score in their half of the 6^th. Mills had the only multi-hit game for the black-and-red, going 2-for-2 while added two walks and a run.

Karly Murray came on in the 7^th in an effort to slam the door on the Tigers, but East Central didn't go down without a fight. With runners on first and second with two outs, Murray got Nikki Herrin to ground out to second, securing the Rangers second straight win.

Starter Madison Garza had a strong outing for the Rangers, going five innings and allowing just one earned run in the win while striking out four Tigers.
 
Game 2
After closing out the first game, Murray returned to the rubber to start the second half of the doubleheader, breezing her way through a clean first inning.

East Central broke out in a big way in the 2^nd inning, putting up seven runs in part thanks to three doubles from Caitlin Paolini, Claresha Clemons and Breecia Crawford, coupled with two Ranger errors. The crooked number would knock Murray out of the game, with Jones coming on in relief after just one and two thirds innings. The 5'5" freshman out of Corpus Christi, Texas stopped the bleeding in the 2^nd, then cruised through the next three innings to keep the Tigers within reach.

Northwestern would answer back in the bottom half when a bases loaded walk brought in Sutton, earning Corrales her first RBI of the afternoon.

Tigers starter Kelbie Crelia held the Ranger bats off the board in the next two frames, stranding two runners in the fourth inning after junior Katie Bell notched her first hit of the 2017 campaign. Northwestern struck again in the 5^th when the black-and-red manufactured a run to cut the deficit to five.

Mills led off the inning by ripping a ball into center for her third hit of the day. The second baseman ended up scoring on a sacrifice fly from Estes to make it 7-2 in favor of ECU.

Jones was impressive in the circle, holding the Tigers to just two hits and a walk in her five and a third innings of work. Although Jones' performance kept the Rangers within striking distance, Crelia kept managing to get herself out of jams.

Northwestern had runners on in the 6^th and 7^th innings, but couldn't capitalize on their chances and would fall to the Tigers 7-2.

Amber Mills had a fantastic day at the dish, going 4-for-6 with two walks and scoring two runs in the double-header split.

Up Next
Northwestern Softball will get the Spring Break week off before continuing their home stand against the University of Arkansas at Monticello in a four game series. Friday's doubleheader is slated for a 2 p.m. start while Saturday's twin bill will get underway at 11 a.m.

For the latest news and updates on Ranger Softball, follow @NWOSUAthletics on Twitter or visit www.riderangersride.com