DURANT, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball dropped the series opener to Southeastern Oklahoma State after the Savage Storm scored twice in the bottom of the 8
th inning to hand the Rangers their fourth straight loss.
Johnnuelle Ponce continued to dominate GAC pitching going 4-for-4 with a home run and a double.
After finding themselves in an early 5-0 hole, Northwestern fought back scoring twice in the 6
th and used a six-run 7
th to take the lead. But trouble struck in the 8
th when the Storm plated two runs with a sac-fly and an RBI base hit as Southeastern would go on to win 9-8.
After winning his first four starts, senior
Walker Wharton was roughed up in the 2
nd inning as SOSU plated five runs capped off by a bases-clearing double off the bat of Travis Spinney. Wharton lasted six innings, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits with three walks and a hit batter.
Ponce got the Rangers on the board in the 6
th with his fourth round-tripper of the season, cashing first baseman
Justin Bundy. After a slow start to the 2018 campaign, the Puerto Rican outfielder has hit .405 in his last nine games, including a six-game hit streak that was just recently snapped.
The Rangers batted around in the 7
th inning, notching six runs on six hits and capitalizing on a costly fielding error by the SOSU second baseman.
Luis Mendoza (2-for-5, 2 RBI) drove in two with a single through the right side and Northwestern had all the momentum armed with a three-run lead.
Former Southeastern assistant and first-year Ranger head coach
Ryan Bowen lifted his starter in the bottom of the 7
th in favor of freshman
Bryson Wrobel. A throwing error by shortstop
TJ Kassner followed by a walk put runners on first and second for the Storm.
Looking to get a double-play, Bowen then went to low-ball pitcher
Brandon Nesseralla with none out in the 7
th. But a bunt-single set the stage for a big two-run double down the line in left to make it a one-run game with the Rangers still up 8-7.
With reliever
Matthew Bickford leaving with the bases loaded in the 8
th, Southeastern tied the game off
Matt Goertzen when the runner tagged and scored on a foul out down the right-field line. The next batter cashed in the go-ahead run on a single to give SOSU a 9-8 lead that would go down as the final after the Rangers struck out twice in the 9
th to end the game.
The tough loss moves Northwestern to 8-8 on the season and 3-4 in Great American Conference play. Bickford (0-1) was charged with the loss after throwing two-thirds of an inning and giving up the tying and go-ahead runs.
Up Next
Northwestern and Southeastern will wrap-up their three-game set tomorrow (March 3) at the Ballpark in Durant with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
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