ALVA, Okla. – The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers played Great American Conference foe East Central Sunday afternoon. After moving the games back to avoid the rain, Northwestern had a beautiful afternoon to play softball.

The Rangers totaled 13 hits on the day with 11 of those hits coming in the second game of the series. Jada Overby led her team with a 3-for-6 afternoon, earning one of the only two hits in the first game. Lindsey McElroy was not far behind as she went 2-for-4 with two bunt singles in the second game while also scoring two runs.

Kalie Johnson was the only other Ranger to have a multi-hit day as she went 2-for-7 with one run. Alexa Moses earned a big hit of her own as she sent her first career homerun over the left center fence. Six other Rangers earned a hit throughout the doubleheader.

Game 1

East Central jumped to an early lead in the top of the first inning as they earned three runs on three hits, all of which were doubles which gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

The Black-and-Red were sat down in order in their half of the first but turned around and held East Central to a no-run top of the second which kept the score contained to 3-0.

Unfortunately, ECU busted things open in the top of the third inning as they scored five runs on six hits. A two-run homerun, their first of three in the first game allowed the Tigers to take an 8-0 lead.

East Central didn't stop there as they continued their offense into the top of the fourth inning. Three more runs crossed the plate for the Tigers off three hits to give them an 11-0 while also taking advantage of a few miscues from the Ranger defense.

The Rangers only two hits came in the bottom of the fourth inning as both Alexus Bailey and Overby earned their first hits of the day, in that order. Taylor Russell advanced both runner's forty feet on a ground-out but the Black-and-Red could not score.

The Tigers tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the fifth inning on two solo homeruns which gave ECU a 13-0, as they headed into the bottom of the fifth. Three straight outs from NWOSU allowed East Central to take the win in run-rule fashion 13-0 in five.

Game 2

Game two was much different than game one as the bats came alive for the Rangers. Eight different players earned hits with three who had a multi-hit game.

For the second game in a row East Central pulled out to an early lead with a three-run inning on five hits, one being a two-run homerun by Tarah Hilton, her first of three during the game.

The tigers added three more runs in their half of the second inning as Hilton hit her second homerun in as many innings.

Morgan Kirk got on in the bottom of the second as she was hit by a pitch and was able to get all the way around to third base, but the Rangers could not manage to score keeping the score at 6-0.

Errors were key for the Ranger offense in the bottom of third as they took advantage of three made by the Tigers in the bottom of the third inning. A single by McElroy started the inning as she snuck a bunt past the ECU defense. Abbie Detar reached on a fielder's choice while McElroy was called safe on an error by the short stop.

Johnson then sent a single of her own to load the bases for the Rangers before a throwing error allowed both McElroy and Detar to score to cut the score to 6-2.

Russell smoked a single into right field for her first RBI of the game as she plated Johnson to make the score 6-3.

A solo homerun by the Tigers in the top of the fourth inning gave them a four-run lead, but the Rangers answered back with their own homerun.

Moses sent her first career homerun deep over the left-center fence to get the Rangers back to within three runs, as the score sat at 4-7. The Black-and-Red continued to battle as Detar and Overby each singled to load the bases for the second straight inning, but Northwestern could not score another run.

The Rangers held ECU to no runs in the top of the fifth inning giving their offense a chance to get the game back.

A lead-off single by Jayden Flowers and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Morgan La Neve. Roberson, who was pinch running for Flowers, scored as ECU went for the double play, but La Neve ran it out to make the score 7-5 with the Rangers now only trailing by two.

East Central came screaming back in the top of the sixth inning as they score five runs on five hits. A grand slam by Hilton, her third homerun of the game helped push the Tigers to a 12-5 lead.

Kirk earned her first hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning which was again followed by back-to-back walks to load the bases for the fourth inning in a row. East Central buckled down to prevent any runs from crossing the plate.

Three more runs were tacked on in the top of the seventh inning to give ECU a 15-5 lead, but the Rangers weren't don't yet.

The Rangers were able to score another run as McElroy crossed the plate on an error from ECU but that was not enough. East Central took the second game with a final score of 15-6 in seven innings.

Northwestern continues their series against East Central Monday afternoon on their home field. The first pitch has been set for noon.

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