ALVA, Okla- Northwestern Oklahoma State opened the 2022 Ranger festival with a 9-7 victory over New Mexico Highlands.
Northwestern used a four run fourth inning to comeback and tie the game before taking the lead for good in the seventh inning.

Rangers improve to 2-3 on the season after the victory as New Mexico Highlands drops to 0-3 on the season. 
 

Northwestern was led by Shaughn Kelly and Blake Hoffman with three hits in the afternoon. Brayden Koenig, Hayden Priest, Fred Buckson all had two hits in the game. Hoffman led the team with 3 RBI following a 2-run home run in the seventh inning.  
 

Cade Phelps started the game for the Rangers throwing two innings before Connor Gibson came in to throw in relief, throwing 5.2 innings allowing 0ER picking up his first win of the season. Edwin Colon picked up his second save of the season, throwing a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout. 
 

The Rangers struck first in this game after a scoreless first inning for Phelps retiring New Mexico in order. Kelly started things off for the Rangers with a one out double for Hoffman would drive in his first run of the game with a single to left field. Hoffman would come around to score on a Cowboy error on Norsen's steal. 
 

New Mexico Highlands would answer back with three straight hits to start the top half of the second inning Marujo would even the game with an RBI single back up the middle for a 2-2 game. Phelps escaped further damage with a flyout to center field. 

The visitors would start the inning off with two straight singles. The Cowboys would steal second and third before taking their first lead of the game on a wild pitch. New Mexico Highlands would then extend the lead with an RBI single to left taking a 4-2 lead over Northwestern. 
 

Northwestern would answer back in the bottom half of the inning as Dylan Norsen with a runner on third would drive in a run on a Cowboy error. Rangers trailed 4-3 after four innings. 
 

The Cowboys quickly responded though having the first two base runners reach safely before they would drive in a run on a sacrifice bunt extending their lead back to two. They would extend their lead to 7-3 on a 2 RBI single by Kuhn in the fifth. 
 

Northwestern wasted no time before answering back with one out; the Rangers would hit back-to-back singles before Hamakawa would drive in Buckson on a ground out. Chase Orrock would then score on a wild pitch before Hoffman would tie the game with a 2-run blast to right field evening the score at 7-7 in the fourth inning. 
 

The game would be locked at 7-7 as Gibson threw four straight scoreless innings before the bottom of the 7th when Northwestern's offense would once again strike. Kelly started things off with a single as Koenig would step to the plate with two runners on as he roped a single to left bringing Hoffman around to score as the Rangers regained the lead for the first time since the third inning. Priest followed with a single bringing Holdren around to score for a 9-7 Ranger lead.
 

The Rangers led 9-7 in the 8th before tacking on one more insurance run on a sacrifice fly hit by Holdren to give the Rangers a 10-7 lead. 
 

Colon would come in for the ninth inning retiring the side in order as he would strike out the final batter of the game closing out a 10-7 Northwestern win for his second save of the season. 
 

Northwestern will continue the Ranger Festival with a Saturday afternoon game scheduled first pitch for 2:30 PM following the Oklahoma Baptist vs New Mexico Highlands game starting at 11:00 AM.

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