BETHANY, OKLAHOMA- Northwestern Oklahoma State completed the three game sweep over Southern Nazarene following a big 25-12 victory and a close extra inning marathon in 12 innings 7-6.
In game one the Rangers scored 25 runs on six home runs including 8-RBIs from Brandon Holdren for the game high. The Rangers scored 12 runs in the third inning opening a 13 run lead to control the game.Â
In game two Jon Shaffer hit a three run blast to left field in the 12th inning giving the Rangers the lead for good before Phelps closed the game out.
The three wins improve the Rangers to 12-11 on the season with a 6-6 Great American Conference record following the three straight victories.
GAME ONE:Â
The Rangers jumped out quickly in game two of the series with five runs in the top of the first inning. Hagen Barcello started the rally with a one out double. Brandon Holdren followed with his first home run of the afternoon for his first two RBIs of the game giving the Rangers an early 2-0 lead. Northwestern did not stop there though as Gavin Mendoza walked, setting up a 2-run home run for Brayden Koenig for a 4-0 lead. Theron Perkins went back to back with a solo home run for a 5-0 Ranger lead.Â
Southern Nazarene answered back with three runs in the their half of the inning as back to back singles setup a three run home run for a 5-3 game through the first inning. After the Rangers went down in order a solo home run by Southern Nazarene pushed their deficit to 5-4 after two completed innings.Â
Northwestern's offense exploded in the third inning with 12 runs to break open a 17-4 lead. The inning started with back to back singles before three straight RBI singles were hit. One by Gavin Mendoza, followed by Koenig, and Perkins for an 8-4 lead at the time. After a hit batter loaded the bases Hayden Priest hit an RBI single. An RBI walk by Kelly, and an RBI single by Barcello had the Rangers in front 12-5 at the time. Brandon Holdren pushed the lead to double digits with a three run home run for a 15-5 lead. The inning was not done yet as a single and a double led to a 2-RBI single for a 17-4 lead.
The Crimson Storm kept the high scoring game going with three runs in their half of the inning off of two home runs to make the game 17-7 after three innings of play.Â
Shaughn Kelly led off the fourth inning with a single before Barcello hit a 2-run home run by Barcello for a 19-7 lead. Jon Shaffer followed with a solo home run giving the Rangers a 20-7 lead. Southern Nazarene took advantage of a Ranger error scoring two runs to push the Ranger lead to eleven through four innings of play.Â
In the fifth inning Harley Shaffer kept the hit parade going as he hit a solo home run to left field giving the Rangers their 21st run of the game.With runners on second and third, Holdren ripped an RBI single to left center for a 23-9 lead.Â
A two run home run after a hit batter by the Crimson Storm had the Rangers in front 23-11. In the sixth inning the Rangers score their final two runs of the game with two more RBI singles for the Rangers by Priest and Holdren.Â
Connor Gibson threw the final inning of the game for the Rangers, tossing a scoreless frame to close out the 25-12 victory over the Crimson Strom for the series win.Â
GAME TWO:Â
Northwestern came close to jumping out early in the first inning again as Holdren reached scoring position with two outs but the inning would end there. Dylan Collins, the Rangers game two starter, struck out his first batter before working around two base runners with two outs keeping the game at 0-0 through one.Â
The Rangers jumped on the board in the second inning after Koenig was hit by a pitch, Hayden Priest hit a 2-run home run to right field to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Collins answered with a scoreless bottom of the second inning with two ground out and a pop up.Â
Following a Barcello single and a Holdren double Northwestern had runners on second and third before a Perkins sacrifice bunt scored Barcello for a 3-0 Ranger lead. After Whiteside doubled Edmonts grounded out to score the Crimson Storm first run to cut the Ranger deficit to 3-1. Entwistle singled in a second run in the inning for a 3-2 Ranger lead through three innings.Â
Northwestern held the 3-2 lead after Collins worked around a leadoff single as the game remained 3-2 into the seventh inning. The Rangers started the inning with H. Shaffer getting hit by a pitch before a Kelly walk set up runners on first and third. Barcello then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to push the Ranger lead to 4-2.
The Crimson Storm answered back though in the seventh inning as a leadoff walk by Whiteside led to him scoring on a sacrifice fly after being moved to third on a single. Kinnaird later singled home the tying run at 4-4. McClain worked around further damage, sending game three of the series into extra innings.Â
Rangers had two base runners in the 8th inning as Northwestern looked to answer back but the Crimson Storm escaped the jam holding the game at 4-4. Southern Nazarene had a leadoff single but McClain worked around any damage.Â
The score remained 4-4 after a couple missed scoring opportunities by both teams until the 12th inning when Jon Shaffer hit a three run home run to left field to give the Rangers a 7-4 lead over the Crimson Storm.Â
Southern Nazarene answered back with two runs in the sixth inning on two Ranger errors but Cade Phelps escaped further damage to hold on for the 7-6 victory for the series sweep!Â
The Rangers will return to action on Tuesday March 14th for a single non conference game against Oklahoma Panhandle State starting at 2:00 PM.Â
