SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball closed out the road series with Oklahoma Baptist Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader. After dropping the first game 17-4 the Rangers bounced back for a 12-8 victory in game two to win the series over Oklahoma Baptist.
The split doubleheader brings the Rangers record to 13-6 on the season with a 5-4 Great American Conference record. This marks the first series victory over Oklahoma Baptist since Northwestern joined Division II.
GAME ONE:
Northwestern's offense started strong in game one of the doubleheader with a couple of first inning runs. It started with a Dylan Bradford single before he came around to score on a Paul Sachen 2-run home run to left field for the early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Oklahoma Baptist answered back in the bottom of the first inning as a walk and a single to start the inning led to a three run home run. Shields and Lissade later each hit home runs to build an 8-2 lead over the Rangers after a 8 run 6 hit first inning.
Northwestern had two base runners in the second inning but were unable to score in the second inning but the game remained 8-2. It stayed that way until the bottom of the third inning when Oklahoma Baptist struck for five more runs.
After an error and a walk it set up first and second nobody out before two straight singles scored three more runs for a 11-2 lead over the Rangers. A few batters later Joseph struck for the Bisons' fourth home run of the game for a 13-2 lead over the Rangers through three innings.
Oklahoma Baptist grabbed one more run in the fourth on a Gutierrez home run to extend the lead to 14-2. A 2-RBI double leading to a sacrifice fly extended the lead to 17-2 over the Rangers through six innings.
In the 7th and final inning in the opening game the Rangers struck for two runs for the teams first runs since the opening inning. Porter Pittman hit a 2-run home run to left center to cut the deficit to 17-4.
The game ended there with a 17-4 Oklahoma Baptist victory over the Rangers to even the weekend series at 1-1.
GAME TWO:
In the final game of the series the Rangers struck first again with some first inning scoring after a double by Carson Wright set up second and third. This led to a Green sacrifice fly to right field scoring Bradford and an early 1-0 lead. Jacob Fuller, the Ranger starting pitcher, had a shutdown first inning to keep the Rangers in front.
Northwestern extended the lead in the second inning with back to back singles by Saire and Stiles to start the inning before a Carson Wright 2-RBI single to left field gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead.
The Bison offense struck back in the bottom of the second inning though after drawing two straight walks led to an RBI single, before two more RBI singles tied the game at 3-3. Oklahoma Baptist then took their first lead of the series finale on an RBI single by Campbell for the 4-3 lead over Northwestern.
After Northwestern lost the lead in the third inning the Ranger offense struck in the next half inning stealing the lead back. The Rangers loaded the bases before a wild pitch allowed the tying run to cross the plate in Bradford. Sachen then reached on an error as a run came across to score at 5-4. Colby Grace hit an RBI single for a 6-4 lead before Hagen Barcello drove in the next run for a 7-4 Ranger lead over Oklahoma Baptist.
Schroeder led the home half of the fourth with a solo home run to get one of the runs back making it a 7-5 game. The game remained 7-5 after a scoreless fifth inning before the Rangers scored five more runs in the sixth.
Northwestern loaded the bases in the inning before Hagen Barcello hit a 2-RBI double to center field, scoring both Sachen and Green for the 9-5 lead. Trevor Saire hit a sacrifice fly to right field for the 10th run of the game as Grace scored. Trevor Stiles drove in the final run of the inning with an RBI single as the Rangers went for four runs on three hits in the sixth for the 11-6 lead through six innings.
The Rangers scored one in the seventh inning on a passed ball for a 12-6 lead. Oklahoma Baptist in the home half of the seventh inning got two runs back on four hits in the inning including the RBI double by Shafer.
Rangers escaped any further damage as Jacob Shaw got the last out on a fly out to center field as the Rangers held on for the series and game win.
Northwestern will play a road game at Newman on Tuesday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM before returning home against Southern Nazarene to return to Great American Conference play.
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