ALVA, Okla. - Northwestern returns home after playing on the road for their last two conference series against Oklahoma Baptist and  Southern Arkansas. The Rangers also return home after playing the last eight of nine on the road. The weekend series will take place against Arkansas-Monticello. The Red-and-Black will be coming off a loss to Northeastern State Tuesday by a final 4-2. Northwestern comes into the game with a 7-13 record on the season and a 4-5 record in conference play places the Rangers tied for sixth in the GAC standings. 

Ranger's catcher Bryce Donovan leads the team in hitting with a .366 average, and an on-base percentage of .471,  with 26 hits, six homeruns, and 18 RBI. Those numbers not only lead the team but have him tied for fourth in the GAC in hits, and tied for fifth in home runs, tied for fifth in total bases tied for ninth in RBIs.
 

Jake Darrow and Yugo Hamakawa are the other two Rangers with a batting average above .300. Darrow is hitting .358 with an on-base percentage of .403, on 24 hits, 11 RBIs. Hamakawa is hitting .324, with an on-base percentage of .446 on 22 hits, five doubles, and eight RBIs. Daschal Johnson is second in RBIs with 14 on the season followed by Brock Randels and Colton Whitehouse with 13 each. Whitehouse is second in home runs with four. 
 

Scott Creedon and Colby Carlson lead the pitching staff with two wins each. Creedon is 2-3 on the season with a 4.13 ERA, and a 1.42 WHIP. His 28.1 innings pitched are the eighth-most in the conference to date. Creedon is 10th in the GAC in strikeouts with 25 on the season. Kaleb Honea and Jacob Uhing lead the Ranger's pitcher out of the bullpen with the most innings so far in relief. Uhing with 16.2 and Honea with 15.2. Honea has two saves on the season to lead the Rangers. 

Arkansas Monticello:

 Arkansas Monticello enters the game 8-9 on the season with a 5-4 in conference record has them fifth in the conference. Monticello is 2-1 on the road so far this season. The Weevils will be coming off of an 11-4 win over Ouachita Tuesday. They lost their last conference series to Southwestern two games to three in Monticello. 

Jordan Johnson is the Weevils leading hitter with a .400 average seven home runs, 18 RBIs and 26 hits. His average is sixth in the conference, he is tied for ninth in RBIs with Donovan. Cade Thompson is the only other hitter over .300 for Monticello at .333. Audy Clary is second on their team with 11 RBIs on the season.

The Weevils pitching staff is has been the strong point to the season so far. Matt Lundh leads the team with a 1.02 ERA through four starts on the season which is second in the GAC in the best ERA. UAM has two other pitchers in the top five as River Hunt and Ojani Chacon are tied for third with a 2.00 ERA. Even though all five of Hunt's appearances have been out of the bullpen he leads the team with three wins on the season. Livan Cordova leads the starters with two wins on the year with an ERA of 3.57. 

Series History:

The Red-and-Black will look to win their first series over Arkansas Monticello since the 2015 season, this upcoming weekend. As well as win their first game since 2018 against Monticello. The Rangers are 4-10 overall against the Weevils, after going 0-2 last season in Monticello, Arkansas. 

The Schedule for the Weekend is as followed; 

Friday, March 6th: First Pitch 3:00 PM 

Friday, March 6th: First Pitch 6:00 PM

Saturday, March 7th: First Pitch 1 PM