ALVA, Okla.: Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball won their ninth consecutive game on Tuesday afternoon, completing the comeback victory. Rangers used the middle innings to win, scoring eight runs in the fourth through sixth innings. This would open a 9-6 lead that the Rangers would never lose again in this game.
Northwestern Oklahoma State improves to 15-8 on the season with a 12-6 conference record for fourth place.
The Rangers were led offensively by Daschal Johnson, finishing the day with four hits, three runs scored, and two RBI. Marques Paige hit two separate 2-run home runs for four RBI on the day. Thomas Beiswanger finished the game with three hits, two RBI, and two runs scored. Grant French had two hits, two RBI, a run scored on the day. Preston Lonadier, Blake Hoffman, and Jake White all added a hit as well. Yugo Hamakawa had an RBI in the afternoon contest.
Hoffman received the mid-week game start for the Red-and-Black Tuesday afternoon. Hoffman would throw two innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out one batter. Colby Carlson would pitch in relief, throwing two innings, allowing one run, and striking out a batter. Rafael Lara, Connor Gibson, Rafferty Brown, and Kyler Harris would combine for four innings of work, with Brown picking up the mid-week game win. Koby Spicer finished the game off, notching his first save of the season.
The visiting RiverHawks got things started early with a leadoff double from Brothers to start the game. After a groundout, Kingensm singled to right-centerfield to knock in Brothers for the afternoon's first run.
Rangers instantly answered back in the home half of the inning, with Beiswanger hitting a leadoff double to start the inning. Hamakawa moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. Johnson would deliver with an RBI double to left-center field to even the one in the first inning. Northeastern would escape further trouble holding the game 1-1 after the first inning.
Northeastern answered right back, though in their half of the second inning with a solo home run by C.D. White to put the visiting team back up one run. White would hit a double to left field, but that would be all the Rangers could manage as he would stay on second.
The third inning was a repeat of the second as the Riverhawks would get a leadoff home run to start the inning, this time from Brayden Rodden, the RiverHawks catcher. Rangers would be retired in order in their half of the third, trailing 3-1.
Carlson would retire the RiverHawks in order, following a double-play groundout for the first two outs of the inning followed by a strikeout. Hoffman got things started in the fourth with a one-out single followed by a Lonadier single to set things up for French. The Mesquite, Texas native would deliver with an RBI double to right-center field, knocking in Hoffman to cut the deficit to 3-2. Following a Jose Rubalcava walk, Beiswanger would single home two runs giving the Rangers their first lead of the afternoon with a 4-3 advantage.
Northeastern would answer back, though, with a two-run fifth inning. They would have three extra-base hits to open the inning. Fehr leadoff with a triple followed by a double from Brothers, then another RiverHawk double by Rodden to regain the lead at 5-4. Gibson would come into pitch escaping further damage holding the deficit at 5-4.
The Red-and-Black offense, though, would strike back fast with a two-run inning of their own. Johnson would lead things off with a solo shot to left field to tie the game back even at five. Lonadier would walk, then advance to third on two wild pitches before French would single him home to push the Rangers back in front at 6-5 through five innings.
In the away half of the sixth inning, the RiverHawks would get even the score while threatening to do more damage. Brothers would single in Conn to tie the game at six. The RiverHawks would still threaten to score more with the bases loaded and one out. Brown would come in relief, escaping the jam while striking out the first batter he faced and finishing the inning off with a lineout to second, keeping it a 6-6 game.
Northwestern gained control in their half of the sixth inning as Beiswanger leadoff with a single, then moving to third on a wild pitch. Hamakawa would hit him in with a ground out to second to put the Rangers in front 7-6. Johnson hit a single to center field to keep the inning alive before Paige would blast a 2-run home run to left field for his sixth home run in the last four games. Rangers led 9-6 after six innings of play.
The RiverHawks would get their leadoff man on board after getting hit by a pitch but a strike than an inning-ending double play started by the diving Hamakawa.
After a quiet Rangers seventh, the RiverHawks cut into the Northwestern lead. Bell would get things started with a single. After a hit by a pitch and stolen base, Northeastern had a single from Rodden to cut the lead to 9-8. Harris would escape further damage getting the final out of the inning with a lineout to first.
In the bottom half of the eighth inning, Johnson kept the inning alive with a 2-out single. He would be later hit home on Paige's second 2-run home run of the afternoon to give the Rangers an 11-8 lead.
Spicer came in to pitch the ninth and final inning. He would strike the leadoff man out before the RiverHawks would create some damage. White and Conn of Northeastern would hit back-to-back home runs to cut the Rangers lead down to one run. Northeastern would put the tying run on second after a single before Spicer settled down to strike out the last batter to hold on for the 11-10 victory for the Red-and-Black ninth consecutive win.
The Rangers will be back in action on Friday and Saturday this weekend, playing host to Oklahoma Baptist for a three-game series in Alva. Oklahoma Baptist will enter the game tied for first in the conference at 14-4 as Northwestern looks to gain ground as they trail the Bison by two games.
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