ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball team will defend their home field against arch-rival Southwestern Oklahoma State in the final series of the season.

The Rangers will enter the series fresh off the completion of a season-series sweep of Oklahoma Panhandle State on Tuesday evening. The Rangers defeated the Aggies by way of a walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the 10^th inning.

Mathematically eliminated from the Great American Conference post-season tournament, a series victory over the Bulldogs would serve as a building block for head coach Sam Carel's ball club. The pieces for a successful turnaround next season have already begun to emerge in multiple young Rangers that have gained valuable playing experience including pitchers Nick Llorente, Tyler Havener, and Sean Rydell. Third baseman Steven Deckard and outfielder Greg Carrington have also stepped up throughout the season and will look to continue to lead the Rangers at the plate throughout the upcoming series and into next season.

Deckard has been unstoppable at the plate as of late and raised his season batting average to .405 after a 4-for-4 performance against Panhandle.

The Bulldogs will enter the weekend having already clinched their spot in the post season tournament. Southwestern has won two out of their last three series over Oklahoma Baptist and Ouachita Baptist and will be looking to keep that momentum going this weekend moving into the postseason. Dodge City Community College transfer Jason Nichols has been the leader at the plate for the Bulldogs since his transfer this season with a .324 average. Southwestern has produced a balanced team throughout the year with multiple faces seeing major playing time.

On the mound the Bulldogs will feature starting pitcher Devin Ring, who is coming off of a complete game performance against Ouachita in his last appearance in which he was credited with the loss despite lasting 9.2 innings. Ring struck out nine batters and allowed just seven hits to enter the series with the Rangers on a high note.

The final series of the season as well as the senior day ceremonies will get underway this weekend beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.