ALVA, Okla.- Northwestern Oklahoma State played host to Oklahoma Baptist Friday night in a big opening series game. The Bison snapped the Rangers' nine-game win streak with a 9-1 victory as OBU used the middle innings to gain control of the game with three different two-run innings.
The Rangers drop to 15-9 on the season with a 12-7 conference record, while the Bison improve to 16-7 on the year and 15-4 in league play.
Scott Creedon had the Friday night start for the Rangers, throwing 6.1IP allowing six runs (5ER) allowing ten hits while striking out three. Colby Carlson threw in relief for him throwing one inning, allowing two runs. Kyler Harris and Emilio Lovato would relieve Carlson, with Lovato pitching 1.2 innings.
The Rangers finished the night with one run on seven hits. The offense was spread out, with six different players having at least one hit on the evening. Daschal Johnson led with two hits along with the lone RBI. Yugo Hamakawa and Marques Paige each had an extra-base hit on the day. Blake Hoffman, Parker Base, and Preston Lonadier were the other Rangers to get a hit in the game.
The game started all pitching as both the Bison and Rangers starting pitchers were locked in. After the Bison got back-to-back singles, Creedon would use a double-play ball to get out of the first inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Johnson would try to start a 2-out rally with a double to right-center, but the inning would come to a close there.
In the second inning, the Bison went down in order as Creedon was able to retire the side in order. Rangers would threaten again in the second inning, getting a runner in scoring position for the second time of the day.
Creedon would again retire the Bison in order, making it seven straight outs by the Bison offense the Rangers starter forced. However, the home half of the inning, Northwestern would go down in order. The score would remain tied at 0-0 through the opening three innings.
The Bison offense would strike, though, in the fourth inning. Keller led the inning off with a double hit down the left-field line. Enriquez would later hit Keller in with a double, trading spots on the base path while putting the Bison up 1-0. Following a single to move the runners to the corners with first and third, Carlson would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the visiting team to a 2-0 lead.
Johnson would start the fourth inning with a single but would be removed from the bases on a double play. The Bison would rally in the fifth inning following a hit batter starting their rally. Keller would deliver again for the Bison with an RBI single up the middle to give OBU a 3-0 lead. The Bison were not done getting another RBI single in the inning to make it back-to-back innings; they could score two runs to make it a 4-0 game. The Rangers' offense could not answer in the home half of the inning.
In the sixth inning, there was nothing happening for either team as both teams would be retired in order before the Bison struck again in the seventh inning. The Bison were able to have their third two-run inning of the game. Keller started things off for the Bison with his third double of the game. He would score on a Bison RBI single before getting their sixth run following a Rangers error for a 6-0 lead.
Northwestern was able to get a hit in the home half of the inning but would leave him stranded at first. The Bison would carry that over into their half of the eighth inning tacking on three more runs. Keller would hit a 2-RBI double for his fifth hit of the night and later be hit in on a sacrifice fly to give OBU a 9-0 lead late in the game.
Rangers would avoid getting shutout in the ninth inning Hamakawa led the inning off with a double; moving up on a wild pitch would score on a Johnson sacrifice fly. Rangers would try one last comeback bid with a Paige double, but he would stay on second to end the game.
The Bison open the series with a 9-1 victory over the Rangers. The two teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, with the first pitch starting at 1 PM and the second game shortly following.
For the latest news and updates on NWOSU Baseball, follow @NWOSUAthletics on TWITTER or visit www.riderangersride.com.
