WEATHERFORD, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball opened their final regular season series against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Rangers split the doubleheader after a 19-15 win in game one, before Southwestern won the second game 7-6. Chad Green was the standout player for the Rangers going 8-8 on the day with 6-RBIs including hitting for the cycle in game two.
Rangers win in game one was win number 30 of the year for Northwestern. Overall on the season now 30-18 with a 18-13 conference record. First time the Rangers have won 30 games since 2012.
GAME ONE:
Chad Green led the way for the Ranger offense going 4-4 with three runs scored and an RBI along with two walks. Colby Grace led the team in RBIs with four in the game going 2-4 with two runs scored. Cade Phelps threw 1.1 innings picking up his fourth win of the season.
Northwestern struck first with a big first two innings scoring in each of the first five innings.
Dylan Bradford led the game off with a single to center field. He later came around to score on a Hagen Barcello 2-RBI double, scoring Paul Sachen and Dylan Bradford for the early 2-0 lead. Chad Green kept the inning alive as he hit an RBI double before Colby Grace hit the third RBI double for the Rangers for a 4-0 lead through the first half of the first inning.
After a scoreless first inning from Garrett DeHaas the Rangers added on in the second inning after a walk and single led to a Paul Sachen RBI double to left center field. After a Southwestern error the lead was extended to 7-0.
The Bulldogs answered back for two runs in the bottom of the second inning on a wild pitch that then led to an RBI double scoring the second run as the Rangers led 7-2 after two innings of play.
In the third inning both teams struck again as for the Rangers a walk and a wild pitch to Jacob Wilthsire led to a Carson Wright double to right field and an 8-2 Ranger lead. However, Syring for Southwestern hit a 2-run home run before Marlow went back to back and the Ranger lead was cut to 8-5.
Northwestern in the fourth inning had a Trevor Saire walk before a Chad Green single set up the three run blast by Colby Grace to center field for an 11-5 lead for the Rangers. Northwestern was not done adding one more run as Zach Vetal came around to score on a wild pitch after reaching on a walk.
Southwestern had their third home run of the game in the fourth inning as Monsour hit a single before a Barrera two run home run cutting the Ranger lead to 12-7.
In the fifth inning the Rangers started the inning with three straight base runners on a single and two walks before a bases loaded walk pushed it to 13-7 and a sacrifice fly by Jacob Wiltshire had a 14-7 Ranger lead.
Southwestern struck for three runs in the fifth inning on a 2-RBI single before a RBI single by Eastwood as the lead was trimmed to 14-10.
The sixth inning was the first one the Rangers did not score, then holding Southwestern scoreless.
In the bottom of the 8th inning Southwestern came back to tie the game after a walk and single set up a three run home run for a 14-14 game going to the ninth inning.
The Rangers answered right away as a leadoff single followed by a Chad Green double put second and third with nobody out before a Zach Vetal 2-RBi single gave the Rangers a 16-14 lead before a sacrifice fly and an RBI triple by Bradey Bejarano gave the Rangers a 19-14 lead.
Southwestern got one run back but Phelps closed out the 19-15 victory for the series opening win for the Rangers.
GAME TWO:
Chad Green led the Rangers offense again in the second game as he hit for the cycle going 4-4 while picking up 5-RBIs and scoring a run. Carson Wright finished with two hits in the game.
Northwestern's offense struck first in game two again as Chad Green hit a two out solo home run to left center field for an early 1-0 lead. However the Bulldogs answered back in the bottom of the inning a solo home run tied the game to lead off the inning. Marlow then hit an RBI double before an RBI double by Breen for a 3-1 lead over the Rangers after the first.
The score remained 3-1 into the third inning when the Rangers came back to tie the game. A lead off walk came around to score as Chad Green hit a 2-RBI triple to right field to tie the game at 3-3.
Southwestern answered back though, scoring two runs after a hit batter and a walk led to a 2-RBI single back up the middle for a 5-3 Southwestern lead. The lead was extended in the fourth inning on a wild pitch pushing the lead to 6-3 over the Rangers.
Northwestern scored two runs back in the fifth inning as three straight singles led to the RBI single by Chad Green followed by a Hagen Barcello sacrifice fly as the Rangers trailed 6-5.
The 7th inning the Rangers trailed 7-5 before a Chad Green RBI double to center field cut the deficit to 7-6 as the double completed the cycle for Green. Southwestern though closed the door after that at bat, retiring the next three in order to hold on for the 7-6 win and split the doubleheader.
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