ENID, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State completed the shutout victory over the Tigers as the Rangers completed the season sweep over East Central Tuesday. This marks the first shutout of the 2022 season for the Rangers and the first since 2021 in a 1-0 win over Harding. Northwestern used a three run first inning to jump out to an early lead taking control for a 9-0 victory.

The win pushes the Rangers record to 17-21 on the season while the Tigers drop to 4-32 on the year. 

The Rangers had four  batters lead the team with two hits each in Brett Erickson, Yugo Hamakawa, and Blake Hoffman. Hoffman and Koenig led the team with 2-RBIs each in the victory. Northwestern had three others tied with one. Brandon Holdren and Yugo Hamakawa led the team with two runs each. 

Northwestern on the mound was led by Matthew Potts who received the Tuesday evening game throwing five shutout innings striking out four. He was relieved by Tate Schuermann who threw two innings. Zach McEachern came in for the eight inning throwing a scoreless inning. Brooks Bishop completed the first shutout of the season for Northwestern. 

Northwestern opened the game strong with a three run first inning. Hamakawa started things off with a double to right center field before a Holdren walk set up first and second. Hoffman was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a fielder's choice drove home the first run before a Koenig single had the Rangers up 2-0. A run scored on a Tiger error for the third and final run of the inning. 

Potts allowed a leadoff single but retired the side in order after the hit before the Rangers continued their offensive burst to start the game. Erickson led the inning off with a single followed by a stolen base to get in scoring position with nobody out. Hoffman hit an RBI single to score Erickson for a 4-0 Ranger lead. 

The Tigers had a runner reach on an Edwards walk but a Glowacki double play helped the Rangers escape any damage. In the bottom half of the inning Koenig started things by drawing a walk. Priest followed with an RBI triple, scoring Koenig for a 5-0 lead. After a strikeout Buckson dropped an RBI double into right field as the lead went to 6-0. Erickson then followed with a hard hit single back up the middle to score Buckson for a 7-0 Ranger lead through three innings of play. 

In the fourth Potts stayed locked in by working out of a jam after the Tigers had first and second nobody out following a single and a hit by pitch, East Central's best opportunity to score but a flyout followed by back-to-back strikeouts kept the Tigers scoreless and the Rangers 7-0 lead through four full innings. 

Potts completed the fifth inning, his final inning of work of the day with a ground out, a fly out and a strike out. Northwestern was then retired in order holding a seven run lead through five innings. 

Schuerman entered in relief as the sixth inning the Tigers went down scoreless as the Rangers used their third doubleplay to end another inning. Northwestern extended the lead in the sixth as Hamakawa led off with a single before a Hoffman single pushed across the eighth run for an 8-0 Ranger lead. 

Koenig continued to extend the lead as Northwestern pushed their lead to 9-0 following an RBI infield single scoring Holdren for the ninth and final run of the day. 

The Tigers threatened in the ninth pushing runners on the corners before Bishops escaped with no damage done as the Rangers closed out a 9-0 victory. 

Northwestern will be back in action Friday and Saturday for a three game series against Harding in Searcy, Arkansas with a single game Friday with a doubleheader following Saturday.