ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball opened a four game series against Truman State on Friday afternoon for the first of two straight doubleheaders against the Bulldogs. The Rangers used a six run ninth inning for a walk-off win in game one off a Theron Perkins grand slam. In game two the Rangers won 6-1 behind 5.2 innings pitched by Drew Price.
With the two wins the Rangers move to 5-1 on the season after now winning three straight games.Â
GAME ONE:
After a leadoff double, Garrett DeHaas, the Rangers' starting pitcher, worked around the double to keep the game scoreless following a strike out. Northwestern took the momentum into the bottom of the inning for an early run. After a single and a double to leadoff the game by Dylan Bradford and Carson Wright, Hagen Barcello delivered a sacrifice fly to score Bradord for the 1-0 lead.
DeHaas pitched back to back scoreless innings allowing the Rangers to extend the lead in third inning when back to back singles led to Hagen Barcello's second sacrifice fly of the game in three innings for a 2-0 Ranger lead.
Truman State struck in the fourth inning with a single with runners on the corners for the visitors first runs of the game setting up another RBI single this time by Mueth to tie the game at two. The tie game did not last long as Colby Grace struck for his first home run of the day to regain the lead at 3-2 for the Rangers through four innings.Â
DeHaas got in a little bit of trouble in the fifth but was able to escape with no damage done following a fly out to center field with runners on second and third to keep the lead in favor of the Rangers at 3-2.Â
The Bulldogs had their best inning in the sixth inning as the visitors struck for four runs on two hits as a bases loaded single and two passed balls pushed Truman in front for the first time of the game. The final run of the inning scored on a bases loaded walk to take a 6-3 lead over the Rangers.Â
After a leadoff triple by Theron Perkins he came around to score on an RBI groundout by Zach Vetal to cut the deficit back down to two.Â
Truman State answered back in the 8th and ninth inning with a run in each inning to take an 8-4 lead over the Rangers heading into the final frame of game one.
The Rangers already with two walk-off wins in the early part of the season made it three on Friday afternoon as the Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out following a Barcello single. Paul Sachen singled to make it an 8-5 game and Saire drew a bases loaded walk before Theron Perkins crushed a walk-off grand slam to give the Rangers a 10-8 victory over the Bulldogs to open the season.
GAME TWO:
The Rangers used 5.2 innings from starter Drew Price followed by 1.1 innings of work by Dawson Toborg to only allow one run, while striking out four.
Drew Price received the game two start for the Rangers coming in and throwing a scoreless first frame that allowed the Rangers to strike first in the bottom half.Â
Dylan Bradford led off with a double to start the Rangers half inning before Paul Sachen delivered a RBI two out double to left field for the early 1-0 lead. Â
Price retired the side in order in the second before the Rangers offense struck again this time after a Trevor Saire stolen base after hitting a lead-off single, the third baseman Colby Grace blasted a two run home run for the 3-0 lead through two innings of play.Â
Northwestern was able to extend the lead to 4-0 after Price set down the side in order for seven straight retired before Saire hit a solo home run in the home half of the third inning.Â
Truman State got one back in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Thompson to drive in the lead-off hitter.Â
Northwestern answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning after Paul Sachen was hit, Chad Green blasted a two run home run to left center for a 6-1 lead. The Ranger closed the win out with a final 6-1 to complete the doubleheader sweep on Friday afternoon.
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