ALVA, Okla.- The Rangers were ready to get back on the field for a game after Friday's got moved to Sunday afternoon. The latest game was the 5-1 loss on Tuesday evening to Northeastern Riverhawks. Rangers opened conference play Saturday afternoon against Southern Nazarene with a doubleheader. Northwestern jumped out strong by starting the day with a 13-1 victory in game 1 followed by a 3-2 victory in game two.
Game 1:
The Rangers started conference play with a bang! The offense was able to score 13 runs on 13 hits. Billy Rogers led the offense leading the team with three hits along with a game-high 4 RBI's. Three other hitters would have at least two hits which included; Jake Darrow, Parker Base, and Colton Whitehouse. Yugo Hamakawa and Base finished the game with two RBI's.
The Pitching was fantastic, as Scott Creedon got the start pitching his first complete game of the season, going seven innings only allowing one run on six hits. Creedon was able to pick up his first win on the season improving to 1-2 on the young season.
The Rangers wasted very little time getting on the board as Colton Whitehouse sent one over the right-field wall down the line to put the Rangers on top 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
The Crimson Storm had a quick answer though in the top half of the third would tie the game on an RBI single from Cassida for their only run in the game.
The Red-and-Black would jump right back on top from a Bryce Donovan RBI single scoring Darrow to put the Rangers up 2-1 at the end of the third.
The Rangers would take over the game in the fourth inning where they would score eight runs in the inning. Rogers singled, scoring the third run in Whitehouse. Darrow would drive in a run off a fielder's choice giving the Rangers a 4-1 lead at the time. With runners in scoring position, Hamakawa went to the plate and delivered a 2 RBI double down the left-field line. Base would follow the double up with a 2-run home run extending the lead to 8-1. The final two runs in the inning would come on an error from SNU, followed by an RBI single from Rogers.
Northwestern would put the final damage on the Storm with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Base stepped up again and delivered a single driving in two more runs on the day. Brett Erickson would pick up an RBI from a sacrifice fly giving the Rangers a 13-1 lead.
Creedon went back out on the mound for the final inning as he struck out the first two hitters of the inning before getting the final out on a popup to third base. The game would conclude after the seventh inning from mercy rule.
Game 2:
Rangers looked to carry the momentum from Game 1 straight into Game 2. Northwestern did not have the same offensive explosion but they got great pitching leading the way to a 3-2 victory over the Crimson Storm.
Donovan and Whitehouse led the way with two hits each for four of the six hits in the game. They both had one RBI each in the game as well to lead the offense.
Blake Hoffman got the starting nod for the Red-and-Black in Game 2 and answered the call. Hoffman picked up his first victory of the 2020 season allowing two-run in five and a third innings pitched. Struck out seven while only walking one. The Rangers called on Kaleb Honea to close the game out and he did exactly that get the final five outs of the game.
Southern Nazarene, however, had other ideas trying to shut the door down early. The game started out in a straight pitchers duel. The game was tied 0-0 through three innings.
Southern Nazarene did not pick up their first hit of the game until the fourth inning, however, Hoffman was able to strand him at first.
Rangers offense came alive in the bottom half of the fourth. As Base led the inning off with a single, later stealing second. Few batters later Whitehouse would drive base in with an RBI single to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.
Hoffman would shut Southern Nazarene out in the top of the fifth keeping the momentum on the Rangers side. The Red-and-Black took advantage of that with scoring two more in the bottom of the inning. With Erickson on third Darrow grounded out to second sending Erickson home extending the lead to 2-0. Following a Hamakawa single, Donovan tripled to right field scoring Hamakawa and the final run for the Rangers extending the lead to 3-0.
Southern Nazarene would try and pull off a comeback with two runs in the top of the sixth with an RBI triple scoring the first run followed up by an RBI single to cut their deficit to 3-2. After a pitching change brought Honea in to close the door out. He escaped a jam to close out the 6th.
Honea retired the Storm in order in the top of the seventh to close game 2 out with a 3-2 Rangers victory and a sweep in Tuesday afternoon's victory.
The Red-and-Black will look to complete the series sweep Sunday afternoon at 1 PM against Southern Nazarene. Northwestern improved to 4-6 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.
