ARKADELPHIA, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State opened their three game series against Ouachita Baptist on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader. The Tigers used five runs in the first two innings to lead to a 6-5 victory in game one before a seventh inning comeback brought Ouachita back for the doubleheader sweep after a 7-6 win.
Northwestern is now 17-32 on the season following the loss with a 7-25 conference record.
GAME ONE:
Northwestern led on offense by Hannah Howell with tied for the team high with two hits with Tatum Winters. Rosemary Rivera had a team high 3-RBIs in the game.
The Rangers looked to strike early after a single by Rachel Sherwood started the inning before a walk and a single loaded the bases for Rosemary Rivera. Rivera drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the game's first run and an early 1-0 lead.
However Ouachita Baptist was able to strike back and take the lead in the bottom of the inning. After a walk and a single setup first and second the Tigers scored their first run on a Ranger error to tie the game at 1-1. Merrett followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Tigers their first lead of the game.
Northwestern tied the game in the top half of the second inning when Tatum Winters led off with a single. Stopp reached on a fielder's choice before being moved to third on an Ashley Low single. Spearman drove in the run on a fielder's choice as the Rangers tied the game at 2-2.
Ouachita Baptist struck with an answer in the second inning after an error to start the inning led to a run scoring on a wild pitch for the 3-2 lead. A ground out and a sacrifice fly pushed the deficit to 5-2 after two innings of play.
The game remained 5-2 into the fifth inning when Rosemary Rivera hit a 2-run home run to left field for 2-RBIs as the Rangers then trailed 5-4. Howell worked around a lead off triple to keep the game at 5-4.
The Tigers added a run in the sixth inning after a Lester RBI single back up the middle extending the home team's lead to 6-4.
Hannah Howell hit a solo home run to center field to bring the Rangers back within one run but three straight fly outs ended the game as the Tigers won the series opener 6-5 over the Rangers.
GAME TWO:
Aveli Gonzalez led the Rangers in hits and RBIs in game two of the day as Gonzalez finished 3-4 with one run scored and 4-RBIs. Rachel Sherwood, Rosemary Rivera, and Ashley Low all had two hits as well.
Rangers offense struck in the first inning again as after a Spearman single to start the game was followed by a Sherwood single and a Laney Anderson RBI single up the middle for the early 1-0 lead.
The Tigers looking to answer had a double in the bottom of the inning but Ireland Caro worked around the leadoff double to keep the game 1-0 in favor of the Rangers.
It remained 1-0 into the third inning when the Rangers extended the lead. After three singles one each from Howell, Rivera, and Winters. Gonzalez delivered a three run RBI double to right field to give the Rangers a 4-0 lead. Ashley Low followed with an RBI single to give the Rangers a 5-0 lead.
Ouachita struck for the first time in the fourth inning when a walk led to an RBI triple to right center to cut the Rangers lead down to 5-1.
Gonzalez answered back for the Rangers after a Rivera single to start the inning, Rivera was hit in on a RBI single by Gonzalez.
The Tigers started their comeback in the sixth inning as an error kept the inning alive leading to a run scored on an error later in the inning as the Rangers went into the seventh with a 6-2 lead.
Ouachita Baptist loaded the bases with one out after a single, a walk and a single. This led to a hit batter to make the game 6-3 before a walk off grand slam by Williams gave the home team the win at 7-6 over the Rangers for the series victory.
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