DURANT, OKLAHOMA - Ranger Baseball closed out the three game series on the road in Durant with a split doubleheader as the Rangers won game one 4-3 on a Carson Wright home run in the ninth inning. The Savage Storm came back to score six on the Rangers and steal game two off a walk off grand slam in the seventh inning.
Northwestern is now 23-12 on the season with a 13-8 Great American Conference record. The Rangers are now 7-8 on the road now this season.
GAME ONE:
Chad Green led the way at the plate with four hits including an RBI going 4-4 at the plate. Paul Sachen and Trevor Saire each had two hits. Rangers hit three home runs in the win, one each from Paul Sachen, Colby Grace, and Carson Wright.
In the opening inning the game was scoreless after Colby Mitchell the Rangers starter struck out two in the opening inning. Northwestern had their first hit in the second inning on a double by Chad Green but the Rangers were held scoreless.
Southeastern then loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning but Mitchell's third strikeout of the game kept it scoreless. THe first run came in the fourth inning as Colby Grace hit a solo home run to left field for the game's first run and the 1-0 lead.
Rangers kept the 1-0 lead after a scoreless fourth ending in a double play but the Savage Storm tied the game in the fifth inning as a leadoff walk later scored as Southeastern took advantage of a Ranger error later scored on an RBI groundout.
Northwestern wasted no time though, striking back as Paul Sachen led the inning off with a single. He later came around to score on a Chad Green single to right center as the Rangers regained the lead at 2-1 over the Storm.
The game stayed 2-1 into the eighth inning when Paul Sachen led the inning off with a home run to right field for the 3-1 lead over the Savage Strom. The Rangers looked to score another after a Green double to left field but Southeastern escaped without allowing any more runs.
Southeastern answered back in the bottom of the inning with runners on second and third, Stone hit a 2-RBI double to left field to tie the game at 3-3. Jacob Shaw got a strikeout and a double play to keep the game tied 3-3.
Carson Wright though made sure the game did not stay tied for long as a lead off home run for the second straight inning gave the Rangers a 4-3 lead over Southeastern.
Shaw retired the side in order in the ninth inning to close out the 4-3 victory and the series win over Southeastern heading into the final game of the series.
GAME TWO:
Rangers carried the game one momentum right into the second game striking in the top of the first inning as Wright and Bradford each reached before an RBI single by Paul Sachen gave the Rangers an early 1-0 lead.
Jacob Fuller answered in the bottom of the inning with a perfect inning striking out one. Southeastern tied the game in the second inning after a single and a walk came around to get one run on back to back Ranger errors.
In the third inning Dylan Bradford doubled to start the inning before Sachen then doubled to drive in the second run taking a 2-1 lead. Green later singled to left field, scoring Sachen and taking a 3-1 lead after three innings of play.
A perfect bottom of the inning including two strikeouts kept the Rangers in front 3-1 into the 4th inning when the Rangers again extended the lead with a leadoff home run by Vetal to make it 4-1 before later in the inning Wright hit a solo home run for a 5-1 lead
Bradford's RBI single in the sixth inning made it 6-1 heading into the seventh inning. The Savage Storm's offense struck in the bottom of the seventh to steal the victory over the Rangers. Started by a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases before two runners scored off bases loaded walks making the game 6-3 before Rice connected on one for a walk off grand slam stealing the win over the Rangers 7-6.
Northwestern will be back in action on Friday April 5th at home to open a three game series against East Central with a single game Friday followed by a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
