RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball closed out their three-game set with Arkansas Tech on Monday afternoon. The Wonder Boys closed out the series win over the Rangers late in the game after six runs in the final two innings for the 7-4 win over the Rangers.

Northwestern falls to 7-8 on the season with an 0-6 conference record. Arkansas Tech improves to 5-7 with a 4-1 Great American Conference record following the win.

The Rangers were led with two hits each from Dylan Bradford, Colby Grace, and Hagen Barcello. Connor Green, Paul Sachen, and Carson Wright each had an RBI in the game. Will Kates got the start for the Rangers throwing six innings allowing four hits allowing one run while striking out two.

The series finale against Arkansas Tech for the Rangers was a pitcher's duel. Northwestern closed out a scoreless first inning with a double play to end the inning. 

Northwestern's offense picked up two singles in the second inning before Arkansas Tech worked around the runner in scoring position keeping it at 0-0. The third inning was the same as the Rangers pushed two runners on bases on singles before a strikeout closed out the inning by Arkansas Tech. 

Will Kates held the Wonder Boys with out a hit until the fourth inning when a one-out single after a hit batter set up first and second nobody out. A second single by Olea pushed across the game's first run giving Arkansas Tech the 1-0 lead. 

The game stayed at 1-0 in favor of Arkansas Tech until the sixth inning when the Rangers offense pushed across runs. The Rangers loaded the bases off two singles and a walk before Barcello hit an RBI fielder's choice to tie the game at 1-1. Carson Wright hit an RBI single the following at-bat to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead over the Wonder Boys. 

Arkansas Tech pushed two runners on bases with two straight singles before a ground out pushed runners to second and third. Kates struck out the final batter of the inning to escape the jam keeping the Rangers in front 2-1 for his second strike out of the game.

The seventh inning was when Arkansas Tech regained the lead on the Rangers starting with two straight walks leading to an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2. The home team followed with a second RBI single before a double steal led to a 4-2 lead over Northwestern. 

Rangers, trying to tie the game in the top of the eighth, loaded the bases with nobody out but a double play at home and first helped Arkansas Tech escape the jam without allowing a run and keeping the 4-2 lead. The Wonder Boys carried the momentum into the bottom of the inning when a 2-run home run by Murray pushed the lead to 6-4. Tech added one more after an RBI single taking the 7-2 lead into the ninth. 

Northwestern put the first three runners on bases loading the bases for a second straight inning before pushing two runs across on an RBI groundout by Connor Green followed by a sacrifice fly by Paul Sachen to cut the deficit to 7-4, but a strikeout by Arkansas Tech closed out the game at 7-4 in favor of the Wonder Boys.

The Rangers are home for a mid-week game against Rogers State on Wednesday, February 26th at 2:00 PM, before returning to conference play Friday on the road at East Central. 

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