Alva, Okla. - Northwestern looked to carry in the momentum from Friday's doubleheader sweep. The Rangers did just that by scoring three runs in the opening inning and never looked back as Northwestern led the whole way going on to win 16-12. Rangers completed the series sweep over Arkansas Monticello. This is the first time in program history Rangers have swept the Weevils.
Rangers scored 16 runs on 14 hits in the game. The offense was led by center fielder Jake Darrow led the team with four hits on the day along with tied on the team for the most RBIs with Marques Paige, at three apiece. Brock Randels had three hits along with two RBIs on the afternoon. Darrow had four runs scored, Randels had three runs, Bryce Donovan scored two. Paige, Daschal Johnson and Jose Rubalcava all had two hits. Rubalcava, started his third straight game after his first one of the season yesterday and followed it up with an RBI as well.
Blake Hoffman got the start for the Red-and-Black Saturday afternoon. Lasting four innings allowing five runs on four hits, walking five. He finished the game with five strikeouts on the day in picking up a no-decision. Koby Spicer picked up his first win on the season after pitching an inning in the fifth. Grant French relieved him going two innings allowing three runs. Then Kaleb Honea picked up his third save on the season pitching two innings allowing one earned run.
Darrow led the game off with a single, after loading the bases Johnson roped a double to left-center field driving in the first two runs of the game scoring Donovan and Darrow. Whitehouse followed with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive in Paige. Rangers led 3-0 after the first.
The three-run lead was short-lived as after a one-out walk the Weevils hit a 2-run homerun to center field from Gaela, to bring the Ranger lead down to 3-2.
After receiving his second straight start Rubalcava continued his big weekend by leading the inning off with a double. Darrow drove him in with a single up the middle. With runners on second and third Paige stepped to the plate driving in both runners with an RBI single giving the Rangers a 6-2 lead. After Hoffman pitched a scoreless third inning, the Rangers offense would produce once again in the bottom half from a Randels solo home run extending the lead to 7-2.
Hoffman would retire the Weevils in order. Rangers would get a leadoff walk from Yugo Hamakawa but would be left there on first.
With the Weevils trailing 7-2 in the fifth they would try to dig into the deficit. Hopkins drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI double. Following a single, double, and then a sacrifice fly Monticello was within one in a 7-6 game.
Northwestern's, offense responded right away, Rubalcava stepped up with bases loaded, delivered an RBI single. Rangers would score two more off of a wild pitch followed by a sacrifice fly from Hamakawa.
Arkansas Monticello, however, would fight right back with two more runs this time coming from a Hopkins home run bringing the game to 10-8. Once again though the Rangers offense was able to deliver an answer. Randels would deliver an RBi single extending the lead back to three at 11-8.
Rangers held the Weevils scoreless in the seventh and then extended their lead on an RBI single from Paige this time scoring Darrow.
The top of the 8th Monticello got the game back within one run. With runners on, they go a sacrifice fly. This was followed by a bases-loaded error that drove home two runs, at a 12-11 ballgame.
The Red-and-Black continued to battle however and once again responded with a big answer this with four runs bringing the game back to 16-11. Darrow stepped up with the bases loaded and delivered with an RBI single that got all three runs home after the ball got by the left fielder. Darrow would score the final run for the Rangers on a wild pitch.
Honea was able to close the game out-earning his third save of the season. The Weevils would get one run on a solo home run in the top of the inning but Honea shut the door down from there. The Rangers completed the three-game sweep this weekend improving to 10-13 on the season and 7-5 in Great American Conference play.
The Red-and-Black will return to action with a road game on Tuesday, March 10th at 2 PM, taking on Rogers State.
