DENISON, TEXAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State baseball opened their first conference series on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader. Harding took game one after a three-run home run in the fourth inning taking their first lead of the game, closing out the 6-1 victory. In game two the Bisons scored in the top of the first inning leading the whole way before closing out a 3-0 victory.

The Rangers drop to 7-4 on the season with a 0-2 conference record. Harding improves to 9-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference. 

GAME ONE:

Dylan Bradford led the Rangers with a hit and an RBI in the opening game of the series. Northwestern had two other hits one by Chase Gordon and the other by Jason McCarty. Gordon scored the one Rangers run of the game. 

Jacob Fuller got the start striking out six in five innings of work before Dawson Toborg and Erik Tapia combined for the final four innings. 

The opening game of conference play started with a pitcher's duel as neither team could strike across a run in the opening innings. Jacob Fuller to start the game threw three no-hit innings which helped lead to the Rangers striking first. In the bottom of the third inning after a Chase Gordon lead off double for the first hit of the game, Dylan Bradford scored him with an RBI single to left center field and the 1-0 lead. 

The Rangers held the lead into the top of the fourth inning when Harding answered back. A lead off double and a walk set up their big blast as Doyle hit a 3-run home run to left field, scoring Helms and Griffith for the 3-1 lead over the Rangers in the fourth inning with their first three hits of the day. 

Neither team could push across a run until the seventh inning when the Bisons extended their lead with a solo home run by Lacey to take a 4-1. Harding continued to add to their lead in the eighth inning as after a one-out single by Doyle he scored on an RBI double to center field hit by Newsom for the 5-1 lead.

Northwestern was held hit less from the third inning to the eighth inning when Jason McCarty had the next hit with a two-out single. Rangers were not able to score though as the game remained 5-1 into the ninth inning.

Harding was able to scratch across one more run as a single led to an RBI double to right field by Johnson scoring Helms. A perfect ninth inning for Harding led to the 6-1 victory to take the first game of the doubleheader. 

GAME TWO:

Bradford led the Rangers in game two with two hits and two stolen bases in the game. Connor Green and Chad Green each had a hit. 

Elias Herrera threw 2 ? scoreless innings in relief striking out three Harding hitters. Will Kates got the start throwing 4 ? striking out one hitter. 

Harding carried the momentum into the second game from game one with an RBI single to center field, scoring Bowie who opened the game with a leadoff walk. 

The Rangers had back-to-back singles to start the second inning with an opportunity to tie the game but three straight strikeouts kept the Rangers down 1-0 as the Rangers were not able to score in the second. 

In the third inning the Bisons loaded the bases with three walks but a ground out and a strikeout helped the Rangers escape the bases-loaded jam keeping the game at 1-0. Bradford singled and stole second to get into scoring position but the Bisons pitching worked around the jam with back-to-back strikeouts keeping the game in their favor.

Harding extended the lead though in the top half of the fifth inning after a single to center field set a 2-run home run by Lacey for the 3-0 lead over the Rangers. 

Rangers put two runners on base in the fifth inning with two outs following a single and a stolen base before a walk. It was first and second but a foul out kept the game in Harding's favor. 

The Bisons closed out the 3-0 victory over the Rangers to win the opening series, striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning. 

The Rangers close out the series against Harding on Saturday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for noon. 

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