ALVA, Okla.- Northwestern completes the series win over Henderson State with their 4-3 victory in game two of the doubleheader Saturday. Northwestern lost the first game by a final 12-5 before earning the split doubleheader and series victory over the Reddies.
The Reddies will move to 9-7 on the season, with a 6-6 conference record. Northwestern will improve to 7-8 on the season, with a 6-6 Great American Conference record.
GAME ONE:
The Red-and-Black offense scored five runs on eight hits. Daschal Johnson and Preston Lonadier led the way with two hits each. Dylan Norsen, Yugo Hamakawa, Grant French, and Parker Base all had one hit. Hamakawa led the Rangers with two RBI on the day followed by French and Base with one each.
Austin Thomason received the game one start throwing 2.2 innings allowing six runs on seven hits walking two, and striking out one. Blake Hoffman threw in relief allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out three. Dillion Van Oosbree threw 2.2 scoreless innings allowing one hit while striking out four. Rafferty Brown and Connor Gibson closed out the ninth.
Henderson State jumped out early in game one scoring in each of the first three innings to gain momentum. In the top half of the first inning following a two-out walk, Joe Myers would put the Reddies on the board with an RBI double to take a 1-0 lead.
The visitors would strike again in the top of the second inning following two consecutive singles to lead to an RBI groundout for Bryson Haskins to extend the Reddies lead to 2-0. The Rangers would respond in the bottom half of the inning though to even the score. Northwestern would put their first two batters on in the inning followed by a Base single to score French to put the Rangers on the board. Northwestern would then use a double steal with Erickson moving to second and Base scoring.
Henderson State, however, used a strong third inning to take the momentum in the game. The Reddies would score four in the inning. Alec Lewis would lead things off with a home run to regain the lead at 3-2. Argenbright would triple after a one-out single to extend the lead to 4-2. Nick Butler would later single to extend their lead to 6-2 to complete the four-run inning.
The Reddies starter would retire the Rangers in order to keep the momentum on their side as they carried that into the top half of the fourth inning. Henderson would add three more in the fourth as Agenbright would double to the left-center for two RBI. Colasanto followed with an RBI single to hold a 9-2 lead after four innings.
Game one would stay that way until the bottom half of the fifth inning when Hamakawa followed Norsen's single with a two-run home run to left field to bring the score to 9-4 through five innings.
Henderson State would have the answer to the Rangers' home half by adding three more runs in the sixth inning. They got things started with a leadoff single followed by an Argenbright double to start the Reddies rally. Colasanto would then hit into a fielder's choice to score the 10th run followed by a Tsistinas double to center field for his third RBI of the afternoon to take a 12-4 lead. Rangers would get one back in the sixth inning on a Grant French home run to right field to bring the score to 12-5.
Dillon Van Oosbree came in relief and would hold Henderson State scoreless through his two-innings of work followed by Rafferty Brown and Connor Gibson to hold the Reddies scoreless the rest of the way.
Rangers would try to come back in the ninth having two base runners reach base safely in the ninth and were able to score on Norsen scoring from a wild pitch, however that was all the Rangers could gather. Northwestern would lose game one by a final score of 12-6.
GAME TWO:
The Red-and-Black would take game two 4-3 following four runs on eight hits from the offense and a ten strikeout performance by the Rangers pitching staff overall to seal the weekend series victory.
The Rangers offense was led in hits by Blake Hoffman with three hits, a run scored, and an RBI in game two of the doubleheader. Marques Paige led the team with two runs scored for the Rangers. Parker Base led the team with two RBI followed by White and Hoffman each with one.
Ethan Swanson was slated to start game two as he went 3.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five. Kolby Spicer came in relief for the Rangers throwing 1.2 innings allowing one run while striking out three. Kaleb Honea finished the game off with two scoreless innings of work while striking out two and earning his first win of the season.
The Reddies tried to start fast once again in game two but Swanson was able to escape any damage after back-to-back Henderson State hitters reached safely. Paige made a run-saving play by throwing a runner out at the plate in the first as White put the tag on him. Rangers would go quietly in the home half of the first inning.
Henderson was able to breakthrough in the second inning with a two-run home run to left field from their catch Josh Aguilar to grab the first lead of the game 2-0 in the second inning. Northwestern had a quick answer getting one back in the home half of the inning with Paige and French reaching base safely the begin the inning. Hoffman would hit Paige home with an RBI single to left field beating the shift that was played against him.
Reddies tried to get a run back with a couple of hits but Swanson would use a double play and a strikeout to escape any damage in the inning. The game would stay that way until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Rangers rallied to take their first lead of the game. After singles by Johnson and Hoffman, Base would hit a 2RBI triple to right field that would hit off the wall to take a 3-2 advantage in the fourth inning.
The visiting team however would answer back fast with a Greyson Stevens solo home run to right field to even the score at 3-3. Rangers would escape further damage to keep the game at 3-3.
Rangers would strike in the sixth with back-to-back singles for the Rangers and an intentional walk to Base loaded the bases with nobody out. White would drive in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead. The Reddies would escape further damage keeping it at a one-run game.
Aguliar led the inning off with a double for the Reddies as they tried to make their comeback followed by a hit batter. Honea would force a ground out back to him for the first out followed by a fly out to the center field. The Reddies had first and third two-out, but Honea would close the door with a strikeout to win the game 4-3 and take the weekend series.
Northwestern will return to action on Friday, March 26th for a road series against Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, Arkansas for a three game series, with two games being played on Saturday the 27th.
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