Alva, Okla.- The Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball team traveled to Arkadelphia for a three-game series this weekend, as they would take the first two games of the series sweeping the doubleheader Friday afternoon. Rangers took the first game 7-3, after jumping out early with the first four runs. The Red-and-Black would come back to win the second game 11-6 after allowing the first two runs of the game.
The Rangers now improve to 9-8 on the season 8-6 in Great American Conference play following the two wins Friday afternoon. The Tigers will drop to 5-14 on the season and 3-11 in conference play.
Game One:
The Red-and-Black used a fast start in game one of the doubleheader and would not look back. Rangers opened with a run in the first before eventually scoring the first four runs of game one before winning the game 7-3.
The offense was led by Blake Hoffman finishing the game with three hits, a run scored, and an RBI of his solo home run in the fourth inning. Dylan Norsen and Marques Paige each had two hits followed by Yugo Hamakawa, Parker Base, and Jake White each having one of the Rangers' 13 hits in the game. Paige finished with 2RBI to lead the Rangers, while Johnson, Hoffman, Lonadier, Base, and White all had one for the Rangers seven in the game.
Scott Creedon received the game one start of the series for the Rangers as would deliver a complete game for his second on the season. He would pick up his fourth win of the season allowing three runs (2ER) giving up four hits while striking out four in the game.
The game started just the way the Rangers would want with a leadoff double from Norsen which would extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Hamakawa would hit a sacrifice bunt to move him to third followed by an RBI groundout to score Norsen. Creedon would shut the door down in the bottom of the 1st inning retiring the Tigers in order.
The second inning was all pitching as both pitchers would face the minimum amount of hitters in each half of the inning. Each pitcher also benefited from forcing a double-play groundout in their half of the inning helping them out of any damage.
Rangers went quietly in the third as the Tigers tried to spark a comeback in the 3rd inning but Creedon had other ideas enforcing another ground ball double play getting out of the 3rd inning with the score still in the Rangers favor 1-0.
In the fourth inning, the Rangers sparked a rally to extend their lead. It started with Johnson reaching base safely following an error, followed by a Paige hitting a 2-run home run to left field. Hoffman would go back-to-back with Paige as the Texas native would hit a solo home run to extend the Northwestern lead to 4-0.
The Tigers would have an answer in the fourth inning though following a leadoff double to start the inning Ouachita would get their first run on an RBI groundout. The second run would score following an error that extended the inning followed by McBride hitting an RBI single to left to cut the Rangers lead in half at 4-2.
The Red-and-Black tried to answer back in the 5th inning with a single but that would be all the Rangers could spark before being retired. Creedon would once again retire the Tigers in order in the home half of the inning.
Northwestern would spark a rally in the sixth inning as Hamakawa got things started the inning off with a single, Paige and Hoffman would hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with one out. Lonadier would get an RBI on a fielder's choice. Base would then single home a run to second scoring Paige. White followed with an RBI single to left field to hit home Lonadier.
Creedon would strikeout two of the three outs in the bottom half of the sixth inning holding the Tigers scoreless, keeping the momentum on the Rangers side.
The Red-and-Black's 7-2 lead would stay that way until the ninth inning. The Tigers of Ouachita Baptist would try to spark a comeback hitting a one-out triple. They would score the run on a sacrifice fly to centerfield from Kelly but that is all Creedon would allow. He would strike out his fourth and final batter to end the game. The Rangers would take game one 7-3 over Ouachita Baptist making it seven straight wins over the Tigers.
Game Two:
The Red-and-Black used a big fifth in scoring five runs to spark their game two comeback scoring in four straight innings to win game two 11-6.
The Northwestern offense used 13 hits to score the 11 runs. NWOSU was led by Jake White with three hits in the game along with three RBI. Parker Base tied White for the most RBI in game two with three as well. Brett Erickson finished with two RBI on an extra-base hit. Yugo Hamakawa and Preston Lonadier had an RBI in the game. Hamakawa, Marques Paige, Preston Lonadier all had two hits on the afternoon as well. Lonadier finished game two with three runs scored in game two of the doubleheader.
Ethan Swanson had the game two start throwing 3.1IP surrendering four runs on four hits while striking out four Tigers batters. Koby Spicer would come in the game to throw in relief and pick up his second win on the season. Kaleb Honea came in for a three-inning save for his conference-leading fourth save. He would allow one run (0ER) striking out four Ouachita Baptist hitters.
Ouachita Baptist jumped out fast in game two of the doubleheader after retiring the Rangers to start the game, the offense was sparked by a leadoff single followed by a walk to start the rally. McBride would hit a 2 RBI double to left field to hit in the first two runs of the game giving the home team the early lead.
The Rangers would not waste any time answering back though in the top half of the second inning. Paige started the inning with a single, following two groundouts though Parker Base would keep things alive with an RBi single to get a run on the board and cut the Northwestern deficit to 2-1.
Swanson would strike out two Tigers hitters in the bottom of the inning holding the deficit to 2-1 before the Rangers would tie the game in the third inning. Yugo Hamakawa would hit a home run, his third on the season, to left field to even the game at 2-2.
Swanson would again shut the Tigers down following a double play and strikeout to set up the Rangers' big fourth inning.
Rangers would have back-to-back single to start their half of the fourth inning followed by a Lonadier double down the left-field line to give the Rangers their first lead of the game at 3-2. Base followed the double up with a sacrifice fly to center field. White singled to score the final run of the inning and give Northwestern a 5-2 lead in the fourth inning.
The home team would answer back though in their half of the fourth inning to cut the Rangers lead to 5-4. McBride got things started with a double to right and would be hit in on a triple by Burson which would force Swanson out of the game as Spicer would come in relief for the Rangers. Burson would be hit home on a fly out to centerfield by Childers. Rangers led 5-4 after four innings of play.
Rangers opened the game up more in their half of the fifth though answering back with a five-run inning. Rangers would have their first two hitters reach base safely. A Hoffman single would load the bases with one out. Base would walk with the bases loaded, forcing in Johnson. White then hit a single to right field for 2 RBI giving the Rangers an 8-4 lead scoring Hoffman and Lonadier. Erickson followed that single with a 2 RBI double to give the Rangers a 10-4 lead over the Tigers.
Ouachita followed the Rangers big inning with one run. They would take advantage of a leadoff walk in the inning followed by a double by Schrader. Mitchum would hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score the one run in the inning.
The game would sit at 11-5 for the next inning before the Rangers would add an insurance run in the seventh inning following a leadoff single by Lonadier, White would hit an RBI double down the left-field line. The Tigers answered back in the bottom of the inning scoring an unearned run to try and spark their late-game comeback but that is all Honea would allow is the unearned run as the Rangers completed the doubleheader sweep 11-6. The doubleheader sweep makes eight straight Rangers wins over the Tigers.
Northwestern will be back in action Saturday morning in Arkadelphia with game three of the series scheduled for the first pitch at 10 AM.
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