ADA, Okla. - The Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers took the field for the opening doubleheader against the East Central Tigers and came away victorious in each of the contests, as the offense was stellar on the afternoon, recording 23 hits, including eight homeruns, leading to 12-10 and 5-1 wins.
GAME 1
The Northwestern bats were hot in the first game of the doubleheader, Friday afternoon as they would collect 12 hits, five of which were homeruns.
Morgan Kirk,
Madison McGraw,
Audrey Estes,
Estrella Guardiola and
Peyton Garrett all collected homers in the contest.
The Red-and-Black jumped out to an early 3-0 lead off the bat of
Estrella Guardiola who brought around three-run homerun over the deep center field wall in the top of the second, but the Tigers immediately followed it up with a three-run shot of their own to tie it back up.
Starting back at square one, the Ranger bats stayed hot as
Morgan Kirk and
Madison McGraw went back-to-back solo shots to re-extend the lead to two runs.
While ECU went scoreless in the third, the visitors jumped out to a four-run lead on the fourth homer of the ballgame, this time off the bat of
Peyton Garrett, bringing the score to 7-3 after three and a half innings. The Tigers did gain one back however on a SAC fly to right, scoring Taylor on the play to make it 7-4.
Continuing to bring runs around was Guardiola who once again cashed in with runners aboard the bases on a bases clearing single to the gap in left center field. Even though the guests took a considerable lead, the hosts weren't to go away quietly as in the bottom of the fifth inning, they would put up six runs on five hits, taking the lead 10-9.
Not to go away quietly, Northwestern bounced back in the top of the seventh frame, scoring three runs, with one coming on a two-run shot by
Audrey Estes and the other on a single to left by Madewell, making it a 12-10 lead for the visitors.
The lead would be good enough in the end as
Karly Murray finished off the victory and collected the win in the process.
GAME 2
The bats remained on fire for the visiting Rangers in the second game of the twin bill as well where the team as a whole collected five runs on 12 hits, knocking around last week's Great American Conference Pitcher of the Week, Jacey Henry.
Murray started in the circle in the second game and tossed a gem, going the distance, allowing just one run and six hits, while striking out four along the way.
Just like in game one of the afternoon, Northwestern struck first, going up 1-0 on a single by Parrott, scoring Kirk on the play.
In her very next at bat, Parrott laced a homer to left field, making it the Rangers' sixth bomb of the afternoon, bringing the lead to two, but it was dwindled down to one after the bottom half of the inning.
Both pitchers decided to bare down over the next two innings as neither offense was able to scratch any runs, leaving the advantage in the hands of the visitors, 2-1.
It wasn't until the top of the seventh that more runs started coming for either team as it was broken wide open by the Rangers who for the second time this afternoon went back-to-back on homeruns, this time by Parrott, her second in the game, and Madewell with the other, taking the advantage to 5-1, which would turn out to be the final tally.
UP NEXT
The two teams will face off again tomorrow afternoon in another doubleheader with the first pitch to be tossed at noon.
