ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball played the season opener against Colorado Christian on Friday afternoon, pulling off the 3-2 victory in walk-off fashion. After trailing 2-1 late in the game the Rangers used one run in the eighth and ninth inning to pull out the victory after a Colby Grace RBI double to win 3-2.
The Rangers win their opening game for the second straight season and third straight home opener. Northwestern is now 1-0 on the season.
Northwestern had three players each with two hits in Dylan Bradford, Carson Wright, and Trevor Saire. Colby Grace came off the bench to deliver the game winning hit on an RBI double.
The Rangers had the first scoring chance pushing a runner into scoring position on a lead off double by Dylan Bradford, but the Cougars defense made a play throwing him out at third later in the inning.
Jacob Fuller, the Rangers starting pitcher, held the Cougars scoreless through three innings before the Rangers were able to strike first. After a walk to Jacob Wiltshire, before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch, led to an RBI single for Carson Wright and a 1-0 Rangers lead.
Fuller struck out the side in the fourth inning before Colorado Christian was able to tie the game in the fifth inning. With one out in the inning back to back singles led to a sacrifice fly for Colorado Christian scoring Acosta to tie the game at 1-1. The Rangers defense ended the inning by throwing the runner out at third, caught stealing as Zach Vetal fired the throw to Connor Green, getting the tag down.
The score remained 1-1 until the sixth inning when Colorado Christian had a solo home run to right center field from Hagel-Pit for the 2-1 lead.
Rangers had an opportunity in the seventh to tie the game after a Chad Green walk, followed by a Saire single, but a fielder's choice and a strikeout ended the seventh inning.
Northwestern tied the game in the bottom of the 8th inning after back to back singles by Wright and Bradford, led to a sacrifice fly to right center field scoring Bradford for the 2-2 game.
After a scoreless ninth inning thrown by Dawson Toborg and Elias Herrera the Rangers were in business following a one out double to right field. This was the first of two doubles as Colby Grace hit a double to right center field that drove in Trevor Saire for the walk-off victory for Northwestern winning 3-2 over the Cougars. This is the second straight season the Rangers opened the year with a walk off win.
The Rangers will return to action on Saturday for a doubleheader, with a scheduled first pitch for noon followed by the second game around 3:00 PM.
