MONTICELLO, Ark. - Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers faced another Great American Conference opponent in the University of Arkansas at Monticello Friday afternoon. The Rangers played well in the first game with Alexia Taylor getting the start, only surrendering a run and Hannah Howell starting in the second. The Blossoms tallied only seven hits in the first game and 11 in the second while the Red-and-Black tallied 10 on the day. Northwestern now sits with a record of 3-14, with a Great American Conference mark of 0-10.
 
Three different Rangers tallied two hits throughout the day. Alexus Bailey went 2-for-6, with both hits in the first game. Hannah Howell showed her bat as she went 2-for-3 on the day with both hits in the second game of the doubleheader. Mesa Gann was the only Northwestern player who earned a hit in both games with one in the first and one in the second to go 2-for-5.
 
Kalie Johnson had one hit and scored the only run of the day for the Red-and-Black. Lindsey McElroy, Jayden Flowers, and Morgan La Neve tallied one hit each.
 
Game 1
 
The first game showed how evenly matched the Rangers and the Blossoms were with the first inning staying scoreless. Arkansas-Monticello took first blood with four singles in the second inning. The first got caught stealing on a throw from Gann, however, the next three helped the Blossoms earn the first run of the game and helped them snatch the lead 1-0.
 
The third and the fourth innings stayed scoreless as both Taylor and Alli Willis' pitching and the Ranger defense prevented the Blossoms from adding any more runs to their lead. The Rangers bounced back in their half of the fifth as Johnson led off the inning with a single through the middle of the infield. McElroy followed with her own single into right field. An error from the Blossoms allowed Johnson to come all the way around and tie the game 1-1.
 
Unfortunately, in the bottom of the fifth Arkansas-Monticello snatched the lead right back with a walk and a steal that was followed by a double that allowed UAM to plate their second run of the game. Their momentum continued into the bottom of the sixth where the Blossoms were able to score three runs on no hits. Three walks and two hit-by-pitches, followed by a wild pitch and a squeeze play gave UAM their final lead of 5-3. The Rangers were unable to respond and dropped the first game in their doubleheader.
 
Game 2
 
Arkansas-Monticello continued their offense with scattered runs throughout the six innings played. They scored their first run of the game on three hits to load the bases and a SAC fly plated a run. Two hits from the Ranger battery in Howell and Gann gave the Red-and-Black some life but they were unable to cross the plate.
 
In the bottom half of the second inning, two hits and two miscues from the Ranger defense allowed the Blossoms to tally three more runs on aggressive base running with two stolen bases. And then added their fifth run in their half of the fifth after a bases-loaded single to left field to give Arkansas-Monticello a 5-0 lead.
 
Despite earning two baserunners in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Rangers weren't able to score any runs through five innings. UAM again came out swinging in the bottom of the fifth and sixth inning took the lead 7-0 two homeruns later. The Blossoms' final run arrived in the bottom of the sixth on two singles and a stolen base and ended the game as they took an 8-0 lead and put the mercy rule into play which gave the Red-and-Black their second loss of the day.
 
Northwestern's next game is Saturday, March 6^th against the University of Arkansas at Monticello with their second doubleheader of the four-game series to be played at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
 
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