GOODWELL, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball returned to action Tuesday afternoon for a mid-week game against Oklahoma Panhandle State. The 8-3 victory completed the season sweep over the Aggies as the Rangers used three straight two run innings to take a 6-0 lead before closing out the five run victory.
The Red-and-Black improved to 14-15 on the season following the win for their third straight victory and the sixth straight over Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Aggies fall to 10-21 on the season.
Matthew Potts took the ball in the mid-week game throwing five innings striking out one while picking up his first collegiate win. Connor Gibson pitched in relief, throwing three scoreless innings while striking out one batter before Kyler Harris pitched the last inning to close out the win.
The Ranger offense was led by Yugo Hamakawa and Brayden Koenig with three hits each in the afternoon. Hamakawa and Thomas Beiswanger led the team with 2-RBI each on the day. Shaughn Kelly led the team in runs scored with two.
Each team started by working around a base runner in the first inning as Holdren drew a walk in the first. In the second inning the Rangers offense struck for the first runs of the game. Koenig led the inning off with a single before being moved to third on a groundout and coming around to score on a balk. Gavin Mendoza singled before a Beiswanger singled scored Jose Rubalcava, who came in to run for Mendoza. Potts kept the momentum on the Rangers side with a scoreless second inning.
Northwestern added more runs in the third inning after Hamakawa led the inning with a single. Blake Hoffman continued the inning with a single to move runners to 1st and 2nd before a Koenig single pushed the Rangers in front 3-0. Hayden Priest extended it to 4-0 with a productive ground out.
Beiswanger reached safely on an error to start the fourth before an RBI triple pushed the Rangers lead to 5-0 and a Hamakawa double secured the third straight two run inning as Kelly scored bringing the Rangers lead to 6-0 through four innings. Potts pitched another scoreless inning working a one out walk after getting Hughs to ground out into a double play.
The Aggies offense struck in the fifth inning after loading the bases on two singles and a walk Madrigal cleared the bases with a double to left field cutting the Rangers lead down to 6-3 through five innings.
In the sixth inning Kelly got things started with a walk before stealing second and coming around to score on a Hamakawa single to center field to put the Rangers back up 7-3. Northwestern was able to push across their final run of the game in the 8th inning as Beiswanger hit Chase Orrock home after an Orrock triple and a fielder's choice made the game 8-3.
Connor Gibson threw in relief for Northwestern, throwing three scoreless innings for the Rangers before Harris entered in the ninth inning throwing a scoreless 1-2-3 inning, retiring the Aggies in order.
Northwestern closed out the season sweep over the Aggies with the win. The Rangers will return to action on Friday afternoon with a single game first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM against Southern Nazarene to open a three game series.
