ALVA, Okla- It was day three of the Ranger Roundup as Northwestern would look to end a two-game losing skid. Rockhurst University traveled into town for Saturday afternoon's game. After a fast start by the Hawks, and a six-run fifth inning led Rockhurst to a 14-11 win over Northwestern.
The red-hot Rangers offense stayed productive Saturday afternoon getting 11 runs off of 19 hits against the Hawks. Brett Erickson led the team in hits with four in five plate appearances. He was followed by Jake Darrow, Parker Base, and Bryce Donovan with three apiece. Dylan Norsen and Donovan led the team with a two-RBI day.
Blake Hoffman drew the start for the Rangers as he lasted four innings surrendering seven runs on seven hits while allowing five walks. He was followed by Koby Spicer who threw an inning allowing six runs. Kaleb Honea finished the final four frames allowing one run.
The Hawks were able to take the early lead as they produced three runs to start the game in the top half of the first inning. They scored off of two different RBI singles along with an RBI double to put the Rangers in a deficit early.
Rangers would not let the early deficit bother them as they fought right back getting some runs in the second inning. Still trailing 3-0, Marques Paige hit an RBI single to left-center field scoring Donovan to make it a 3-1 game. Erickson singled to left field scoring Yugo Hamakawa on the play. The inning would end there but the Rangers were back in it with a 3-2 deficit.
The Rangers would knot their first lead in the third inning. Hamakawa hit an RBI single scoring Donovan and Base to get their first lead of the game at 4-3. He was followed by Norsen hitting a single to the right side to make it a 6-3 game scoring Darrow and Erickson.
The next half-inning at the top of the fifth Rockhurst would have their answer though. As a single made it a 6-4 game, they followed that up with a double from Ellefson that scored three runs making it a 7-6 game. A home run from Ruffolo capped their six-run fifth inning stretching their lead to 9-6.
Jake White would cut into that deficit in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot left-center field bringing the game to 9-7 after five innings of play.
In the sixth, the Hawks followed up the six-run inning with a five-run inning. As Mark would hit a two-run homerun to get the lead to 11-7. A hits batsman brought in a run, which was then followed by an RBI single.
As the Rangers trailed 14-7 in the sixth they tried to start the comeback bid. Daschal Johnson singled to right field getting an RBI that made it a 14-8 game.
The game would stay 14-8 until the bottom of the eighth when the Rangers scored three runs to cut the deficit in half. Donovan hit a two-run homerun for his second homerun in as many days. Billy Rogers would later have a sacrifice fly that inning making it a 14-11 game as it headed to the 9th.
The ninth inning was scoreless though as the Rangers got a hit but could not manage another as the Hawks closed out the 14-11 victory.
Rangers drop to 1-5 on the season and their third straight with Saturday afternoon's loss. The Red-and-Black will be back in action Sunday afternoon at 3:30 PM to close out the 2020 Ranger Roundup.
