ALVA, OKLA - The Rangers closed out their series with East Central Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader with a nine and seven inning scheduled game. In game one the Rangers won 22-12 behind a six run fifth inning to regain the lead to control the rest of the game. The second game of the doubleheader the Rangers won in comeback fashion with a 6-4 win folllowing a walk-off home run from Hoffman. The Rangers completed the sweep over East Central winning their third game overall and sixth straight in conference victory for their second straight sweep.
Northwestern improves to 9-8 on the season with a 6-3 conference record following the two wins while East Central falls to 1-16 on the season with an 0-9 record in conference.
GAME ONE:
Matthew Potts received the game one start before being relieved by Dylan Collins in the second inning. Collins would throw 5.2 innings allowing three earned runs while striking out four batters picking up his third win of the season.
The Rangers offense finished with 18 hits as every starter had at least one hit in the afternoon. Yugo Hamakawa led the team in hits with four along with a team high four RBIs tied with Shaughn Kelly, and Blake Hoffman. Hamakawa led the team with five runs scored.
In the opening inning the Tigers got things started strong with a three run home run following a leadoff double and a hit batsman. The Tigers took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the first before the Rangers answered back.
Kelly opened the game with a single followed by a Hamakawa walk. Holdren put the Rangers on the board with an RBI double, scoring Kelly. Hoffman followed with an RBI single to tie the game at three. Two more runners would reach base safely before Chase Orrock would blast a three run home run to left center field to put the Rangers in front 6-3 for the first lead of the game.
The Tigers answered back though in the second inning with six runs. The innign started with a single hit by pitch and another single to load the bases. Glowacki hit a single through the left side to cut the deficit to 6-4. Whitaker followed with a single to tie the game at six a piece before a Towsley triple to left center put the Tigers back in front at 9-6.
In the home half of the second inning Hamkawa helped the Rangers chip back into their deficit with a 2-run home run scoring Kelly as the Rangers trailed 9-8.
The pitching would settle in during the third inning as the Tigers would get a hit but that was the only damage done as both teams escaped with no runs given up. This was the first of three straight scoreless innings by Ranger pitching as Collins retired the Tigers in order through the 5th.
Northwestern's offense broke through again in the fifth inning as the Rangers loaded the bases to start the inning trailing 9-8. Kelly stepped to the plate and crushed a grand slam, scoring four runs and pushing the Rangers in front 12-9. Holdren drew a walk before Priest doubled into the left field scoring two runs puting the Rangers in front 14-9 through five innings of play.
The visitors would answer back with two runs in the sixth cutting their deficit to 14-11 following Whitaker reaching on an error.
Hamakawa answered those runs though with a 2-run home run to put the Rangers back up five runs at 16-11.
The Rangers led 16-12 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning as the Rangers put up their second six spot of the afternoon. The Rangers started the inning with three straight hits as the third was an RBI single scoring Priest. Joseph Frisby followed with an RBI single to take a 18-11 lead. With the bases loaded and the Rangers leading 19-11 Hoffman would end the game on an RBI double to center giving the Rangers a 22-12 lead for the 10 run win in seven innings.
GAME TWO:
Hamakawa led the team with two hits in game two of the day, as Hoffman led the team with 3-RBIs on a walk-off three run home run. Kelly finished the game with 2-RBIs.
Connor Gibson started game two of the day throwing two innings before being relieved by Cade Phelps. Phelps threw three scoreless innings striking out three. Edwin Colon pitched the final two innings picking up his second win of the season.
East Central, like game one, wasted no time as they struck for two runs in the first inning on a single to right field followed by a sacrifice fly by Whittaker. East Central continued to fast start with two runs in the second inning following a 2-RBI single to center field for a 4-0 lead through two innings of play.
Northwestern would have a runner reach in the inning but Norsen would be left at first as the Rangers trailed 4-0 through two innings.
The Rangers got on the board in the third following Bryan Guerrero reaching base safely after getting hit by the pitch before a Kelly home run cut the deficit to four to two through three innings.
Phelps continued to throw the ball well as he would finish three scoreless innings holding the game at 4-2. Northwestern in the sixth inning scored one in the sixth on an RBI groundout to cut the deficit down to 4-3.
Colon pitched a scoreless seventh before the Rangers pulled off the comeback win. Hamakawa got things started with two outs in the seventh with a single to center. Holdren followed with a single through the right side.
Blake Hoffman would follow blasting a three run home run to dead center field as the Rangers pulled off a come from behind victory for the walk-off win. The Rangers completed their second straight conference series sweep.
Northwestern will play a mid-week game at Newman University with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM before traveling to Durant to play Southeastern on a conference weekend series.
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