ADA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State opened a three game series against the East Central Tigers on the road. After a quick start for the Rangers the Tigers battled back to close out a 9-6 victory over the Red-and-Black to open the series.
Hayden Priest and Barcello led the Rangers with two hits each with Barcello and Harley Shaffer with 2-RBIs each in the game.
Shaughn Kelly drew a leadoff walk in the game before Trevor Saire hit him in with a single to left field before Kelly came around to score on a Tiger error. Barcello later drove Saire in with a sacrifice fly for an early 2-0 lead.
East Central jumped on the board responding to the Rangers' two spot with three runs in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded the Tigers had a timely bunt single scoring their first run before a bases loaded walk followed by an infield single by Collins had the Tigers in front 3-2.
Paul Sachen led the inning off with a walk before back to back doubles by Priest and H. Shaffer had the Rangers back in front 4-3 in the second inning. The Tigers answered back in the second inning as two walks to start the inning led to a bases loaded single scoring two runs to take a 5-4 lead. Rosario followed with a sacrifice fly to extend the Tigers lead to 6-4 through two innings.
Gavin Mendoza led the inning off with a single to left field before coming around to score the Rangers' fifth run on a sacrifice fly by Sachen.
After a couple of scoreless frames East Central got back on the board in the bottom half of the fourth inning as a hit batter and a double led to a single by Collins to extend the Tigers lead to 8-5 through four innings.
Max McClain in the fifth inning worked around two hits escaping a jam with no runs allowed after East Central loaded the bases in the inning. The score remained 8-5 into the seventh inning before both teams traded runs.
The Rangers had one in the top of the inning on a solo home run by Hagen Barcello to cut the deficit to two at the time 8-6. The Tigers answered on a double by Whitaker before a single by Sperry scored the run for a 9-6 home team lead.
Northwestern in the ninth and final inning had the tying run sent to the plate after Holdren got hit by a pitch before a double by Barcello had second and third for the Rangers. The Tigers were able to close out the win on a fly out to left field for the series opening win.
The Rangers will be back in action on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader to close out the series. First pitch will be thrown at noon in Ada for the series finale games.
