DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State handed the Rangers two tough road losses in Durant, Oklahoma on Friday. Northwestern dropped the first game 3-1 before falling 7-5 in the second game after a walk-off home run.

Game 1
Looking to snap their nine game winless streak, the Rangers sent Madison Garza to the circle with hopes of shutting down the Savage Storm offense that entered play hitting .306 on the season.

A leadoff single in the bottom of the 1^st came around to score after a throwing error by Amber Mills, marking the 13^th unearned run off of Garza this year. But the 5'4" junior didn't let the early mishap faze her, keeping Southeastern off the board for the next three frames.

But the Rangers ran into a quality arm in Emily Cudd, who sat down Northwestern hitters in order for the first three innings before an error in the 4^th allowed Mills to reach for the Rangers first baserunner of the afternoon.

Both pitchers were cruising through the middle innings until the Rangers managed to manufacture a run in the top of the 5^th. Audrey Estes led off the frame with a double off the glove of the diving shortstop for the Rangers first hit off of Cudd. Katie Bell entered to pinch run for the catcher, and was moved over to third by a sacrifice bunt from Macy Madewell. Megan Sanders got the job done with a sac-fly to right, scoring Bell from third to tie the game at 1-1.

Southeastern finally appeared to crack Garza, breaking it open in the next half inning. The Savage Storm put up two runs on four hits to take a 3-1 advantage over the Rangers. A leadoff bunt for a hit by Mykaela Wallace was followed by a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second. With Wallace in scoring position and only one out, Symphoni Shomo took the 2-0 offering from Garza down the left field line for an RBI double.

Another single cashed in Shomo before Garza pitched her way out of the jam with minimal damage, but with Cudd pitching the way she was, the odds were against a Ranger comeback.

Northwestern dropped the first game of the doubleheader 3-1, managing only one hit (the Estes double) off of Cudd, who threw a complete game for the win. Garza would allow two earned runs on seven hits and two free passes while striking out seven.

Game 2
The Savage Storm picked up where they left off in the bottom of the first in the second game; tagging Ranger starter for two runs (both unearned). Madison McGraw looked to answer back in the top of the second, reaching on an error by the third baseman. McGraw stole second to get herself into scoring position with none out, but three straight fly-outs by the Rangers bailed out Southeastern's Ashley Moore.

Murray pitched the Rangers to two scoreless frames in the 2^nd and 3^rd, setting up Northwestern to strike big in the 4^th.

Mills led off the inning reaching on another error by Marisa Fleck before Madi Parrott singled to center. Back-to-back Ranger baserunners led to a pitching change for the Savage Storm, as they brought in Kennedy Salyers to pitch to McGraw. But the defense broke down for a second time in the inning as McGraw reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to score Mills.

After throwing just one pitch, Salyers was lifted for Moore to re-enter the game. With two on and nobody out, Estes took Moore deep over the left field wall for a three-run shot, her first of the season, to make it 4-2 in favor of the Rangers.

Southeastern cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the 4^th, as Wallace answered the big Ranger inning with a solo shot of her own. The Savage Storm added another in the 5^th to tie the game 4-4.

With the game on the line, Megan Sanders got the ball rolling in the top of the 7^th with a double to left. Alexis Hayes was sent to pinch run for Sanders and Bell moved her over with a sac-bunt. A Peyton Garrett double cashed in Bell, giving the Rangers the lead heading into the bottom of the 7^th.

The Storm caught a break when Parrott misplayed a ball at short to lead-off the inning. A sac bunt and a single through the left side allowed Southeastern to tie the game at 5-5. With a runner on first, Jordyn James sent a ball over the center field wall giving Southeastern the 7-5 walk-off victory.
 
Up Next

Northwestern will conclude the weekend series in Durant on Saturday, March 4. Tomorrow's double-header is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

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