Alva, Okla.- Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball concluded their series against the Savage Storm of Southeastern on Monday afternoon with a doubleheader in which the two teams would split. Rangers took game one by a final score of 13-7 with Southeastern winning the second game 7-2 in seven innings.

The Red-and-Black are now 5-7 on the season and 4-5 in Great American Conference play, with Southeastern moving to 8-5 on the year, 5-4 in conference games.

GAME ONE:

The Red-and-Black used a strong offensive performance in game one scoring 13 runs on 12 hits. Northwestern was led by Marques Paige with four RBI in the first game. Daschal Johnson, Parker Base, and Brett Erickson each had two hits in the game to lead the Rangers. Johnson added two RBI. Rangers had six other hitters with one RBI in Base, Erickson, Yugo Hamakawa, Blake Hoffman, Preston Lonadier, and Jake White. Johnson, Paige and Hoffman each added a home run in game one along with eight extra base hits.

Austin Thomason received the start throwing 2.2 innings allowing 3R (0ER) on five hits, and two walks while striking out one before being relieved by Grant French. French would pick up his first win of the season throwing two innings allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Koby Spicer would give the Rangers 2.1 innings with three strikeouts. Kaleb Honea earned his third save on the season with two scoreless innings.

The Savage Storm struck first in their opening at bat taking advantage of a Ranger error they would later score from a single later that inning. Southeastern would later load the bases but Thomason would escape further damage.

The Red-and-Black would waste no time striking back though with a three run first inning. After a leadoff walk for Norsen the Rangers would hit back-to-back home runs. Paige would hit a two-run home run to right field followed by Hoffman blasting one to right.

Thomason would work around a jam in the second as the Savage Storm would get two runners on base. Northwestern carried the momentum from the top half of the inning to help add two more runs on an Erickson RBI double and then a Johnson fielder's choice to take a 5-1 lead after two innings.

Southeastern would take advantage of a two out error by the Rangers defense by adding two runs on a bases-loaded single by Dylan Herd. French would come in and escape further damage. White would help keep the Rangers in front answering with an RBI single to left field scoring Thomas Beiswanger.

The visiting team would strike again in the fourth with back-to-back doubles with Reid Rice getting the RBI. Holmes would single to right field bringing the game back within one for the Storm as the Rangers led 6-5. However the Red-and-Black would have another answer with two runs of their own as Hamakawa hit an RBI double followed by a Paige sacrifice fly to put the home team back up three runs 8-5.

After French would strike the first two Storm hitters out in the fifth Richard Ware would hit a two-out homerun. Spicer would come in relief to close out the inning. Northwestern would threaten to score in the bottom half but Bigham for the Savage Storm was able to escape further damage.

Reid Rice would leadoff the visiting teams sixth inning with a solo home run to bring Southeastern within one run once again. Spicer would strike out the next two hitters sending it to the home half of the inning. Johnson got another Rangers rally started by leading things off with a solo home run. Northwestern would then receive back to back extra base hits from an RBI double by Lonadier and a RBI triple by Base. Base would later come around to score on a wild pitch extending the Rangers lead to 12-7 after the sixth.

Paige would get his fourth RBI on a sacrifice fly to give the Rangers their 13-7 lead in the seventh. Kaleb Honea came in for the two inning save and would allow one hit but would escape any damage retiring the next six batters he faced for save number three.

GAME TWO:

Northwestern finished with two runs scored on four hits. Johnson finished with two hits, Norsen had one and Paige with the last hit. Norsen and Base each had one RBI. Grant French finished with three walks in the evening with a run scored.

Ethan Swanson received the start throwing 4.2 innings allowing six runs (4ER) on five hits and two walks while striking out four. Colby Carlson came in relief throwing 1.1 innings allowing zero runs in his outing. Sean Rydell finished the game off in the seventh throwing one inning allowing one run.

Southeastern struck early once again after loading the bases with nobody out off of a walk and two hit batsmen. Swanson would allow one run but work around further damage as an inning ending double play on a fielder's choice allowed the run to score before the two outs were made after a run down occurred.

The second inning both teams went quietly as each starting pitcher retired the sides in order. Southeastern would strike again though in the third after a two straight singles to leadoff the inning for the Storm, Seth Morrow hit a two-RBI double to left field, followed by an RBI single by Ortiz to give the Savage Storm a 4-0 lead.

Rangers would threaten in the home half of the inning before Southeastern would escape without any harm. The game would stay 4-0 until the fifth inning.

The Savage Storm would add two runs in the fifth inning with an RBI single to center field followed by a RBI double by Rice to take a 6-1 lead. 

Base would drive in the Rangers second run with a fielder's choice to second scoring French but that was all the Rangers could score. Southeastern added a run in the seventh on a Rice double to left field to score Morrow to take a 7-2 lead.

Northwestern will be back in action on Friday, March 19th at 6PM as Henderson State comes to Alva for a three game series through Saturday March 20th.

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