BETHANY, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State Baseball completed the series sweep over Southern Nazarene with a big offensive afternoon. The Rangers scored 20 runs in the first game and used a five run eighth inning to take game one. In the second game the Rangers scored 16 more runs and used a 10 run inning to complete the series sweep. The Rangers have now won four straight games and scored double digits in each of the four games.
The Rangers improved to 20-14 on the season with a 10-11 Great American Conference record. As Southern Nazarene drops to 8-25 on the season.
GAME ONE:
Dylan Bradford had a game high of five hits in the first game of the afternoon while scoring three runs. Chase Gordon had a game high with a 5-RBI game while adding four hits and scoring three runs. Colby Grace finished with a game high five runs scored.
The two teams traded scoring lines in the opening innings. The Rangers scored first in their half of the inning with an RBI double by Connor Green for the 1-0 lead. Southern Nazarene answered back in the bottom of the first inning on a solo home run by Benedict to tie the game.
Northwestern Oklahoma State jumped out with a five spot in the second inning led by a two run home run to left field by Colby Grace for the 3-1 lead. After two walks, Connor Green hit another RBI, this time a 2-RBI single for the 4-1 lead. Chad Green doubled to left center, scoring Wright before Barcello drove in a run for the 7-1 lead through the top of the second inning.
Southern Nazarene answered back with a double to left center field, scoring a run before two more RBI singles cut the Ranger lead down to 7-4. Hicks followed with a 3-run home run to tie the game at 7-7 through the second inning of the game.
The Crimson Storm took their first lead of the game after a solo home run to start the inning for the 8-7 lead over the Rangers.
Northwestern answered back in the fourth inning after an RBI single by Mendoza pushed across the game's tying run at 8-8 as Wright scored.
Southern Nazarene added two more in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-8 lead over the Rangers after a solo home run put the Crimson Storm back in front. After an error and a single put runners in scoring position, an RBI single gave the home team the two-run advantage.
The Rangers quickly answered in the fifth inning after Grace led the inning off with a walk before Chase Gordon drilled a home run to even the score at 10-10.
Southern Nazarene answered back in the sixth to regain the lead over the Rangers on a solo home run to left field for the 11-10 lead. The Crimson Storm then had an RBI single leading to an RBI sacrifice bunt for the 13-10 lead over Northwestern.
The Rangers, not going anywhere, tied the game in the seventh inning as Carson Wright hit a three run shot to tie the score at 13-13, pushing across Bradford and Grace. Bare of the Crimson Storm answered back with a home run of his own to put the Crimson Storm in front 15-13.
Northwestern took the lead for good in the eighth inning, scoring five runs. It all started with a Grace 2-RBI single pushing across Mendoza and Chad Green to tie the game. Gordon followed with an RBI single to give the Rangers the 16-15 lead. A Carson Wright double put the Rangers in front 18-15 over Southern Nazarene.
In the ninth inning a Gordon double scoring Grace and Barcello sent the Rangers in front 20-16 over Southern Nazarene. The Crimson Storm was able to score one run in the ninth inning when the Rangers closed the door on the comeback attempt with a 20-17 victory to complete the series win.
This is the second time the Rangers scored 20 runs in a game this season, with the last time being against New Mexico Highlands.
GAME TWO:
Connor Green and Gavin Mendoza led the team with three hits each, as Mendoza had the game high with a 5-RBI afternoon. Zach Vetal and Carson Wright each finished with three runs. Colby Mitchell threw 3 ? scoreless innings in the win, striking out four and picking up his first win of the season.
Northwestern jumped out first with a four-run first inning as Bradford led the game off with a double. The Rangers loaded the bases before Gavin Mendoza hit his second grand slam of the week to give the Rangers an early 4-0 lead.
The Rangers kept the lead into the bottom of the second inning after the Crimson Storm cut their deficit to 4-2 before the big blast on a three run home run to give the home team the 5-4 lead.
Northwestern tied the game in the third inning on a Connor Green home run to center field to even the score 5-5. With the game tied at 5-5 in the fourth, Northwestern used a 10-run inning to take control of the series finale.
Afterward, Harley Shaffer led the inning off with a walk, leading to a Bradford sacrifice fly later in the inning. Carson Wright hit his first home run of the inning to make it a 7-5 game. Northwestern opened a 9-5 lead before Vetal delivered a 3-RBI double, scoring Grace, Barcello, and Mendoza for the 12-5 lead. This led to the final runs of the inning as Wright blasted his second home run of the inning to take a 15-5 lead in the fourth inning, hitting double digits in the inning.
Southern Nazarene answered back with a three-spot to cut the deficit to 15-8 through four innings of play.
Connor Green drove in the Rangers' final run of the afternoon on an RBI single to left field to take a 16-8 lead.
Mitchell sealed the game, finishing the final inning scoreless, leaving two runners on base, and completing the series sweep over Southern Nazarene.
The Rangers play two mid-week games first at Oklahoma Panhandle State, before returning home against Washburn on Wednesday April 2nd. The Rangers return to conference play on Friday April 4th against Oklahoma Baptist.
For the latest news and updates on NWOSU Athletics, follow @NWOSUAthletics on TWITTER or visit www.riderangersride.com.
