SEARCY, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball opened their three game series against Harding University with a Friday doubleheader. Harding took game one over the Rangers behind a two run eighth inning before walking off in the ninth for the 5-4 victory. In game two Harding jumped out fast before closing out a 4-0 victory to take both games. 

Game One: 

Northwestern jumped out first in the series opener after Brandon Holdren hit a solo home run in the first with two outs to take a 1-0 lead. Schuermann worked around a leadoff walk to keep the game at 1-0 through the first inning. 

The Rangers were retired in order in the second inning as the Rangers looked to extend the lead. Swanson allowed two base runners before finding a way out of the jam on a strikeout as Northwestern continued to hold their 1-0 lead. 

The teams traded zeros again in the third with the Rangers using a defensive play to work around a leadoff walk in the third as Priest threw out Smith trying to steal. 

Northwestern would extend their lead in the fourth on their second solo home run of the game as Hoffman stepped up with two outs and drove one to right field. 

As the Bisons looked to get on the board they had ruIN nners reach first and third on the corners before another defensive play helped the Rangers out of the inning with no damage done. A line drive to Holdren at third for the double play as he got the runner out at first. 

Brayden Koenig led the fifth off with a double. He was followed by a walk before a Fred Buckson RBI single drove up the third run of the game for the Rangers as Northwestern took a 3-0 lead in the fifth.

Harding struck in the fifth inning with two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out. The Bisons were able to break through with a sacrifice fly to left field for their first run cutting the Ranger lead down to 3-1 through five innings. 

The game remained 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning as Harding took advantage of a passed ball after a single and a walk before a sacrifice fly brought home their second run to cut the deficit down to one. 

Northwestern left two runners on base in back-to-back innings before Harding struck again in the bottom of the eighth inning when they scored two runs. Bisons loaded the bases with nobody out before a wild pitch scored the tying run for a 3-3 game. They took their first lead of the game on their third sacrifice fly of the game for a 4-3 lead. 

Rangers did not go away though as Joseph Frisby extended the game on a solo home run to right field tying the game at four with two outs. A leadoff double for the Bisons put Harding in business before a bases loaded wild pitch scored the game winning run as they took game one over the Rangers 5-4. 

GAME TWO: 

Dylan Collins and Joel Barker were dialed in to start the game as both pitchers retired their respective side in order for a 0-0 game. Rangers had one in scoring position after Shaughn Kelly stole second but Barker worked around keeping the Rangers scoreless. 

Northwestern went down in order before Harding struck in their half of the third as Butterfield reached on an error with two outs before an RBI double gave Harding the 1-0 lead in the 3rd. 

In the fourth the Rangers went down in order before a single and a walk had runners on the corners before a ground ball double play scored the second run of the game for a 2-0 home team lead. 

Rangers looked to get on the board in the fifth following a double by Hayden Priest but a ground out ended the inning. Collins worked around a Bisons runner on second as well to keep the game 2-0. 

Buckson led the sixth off with a single before being left on base. Harding was able to score in their half to extend the lead to 4-0. Perrett hit an RBI double to drive home run number one of the inning before McNeel reached on an error for the fourth run of the game. 

Harding was able to close out the game with a 4-0 victory to take both games over the Rangers. Northwestern will be back in action on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for Noon for game three of the three game series.