ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Oklahoma State made it eight straight wins on Sunday afternoon following a doubleheader sweep over the Bison. The Rangers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in game one before closing out a tight 6-5 win. In game two the Rangers used a solo home run from Chad Green and six shutout innings from Colby Mitchell for a 1-0 victory.
The Rangers improve to 24-14 on the season with a 12-11 conference record while Oklahoma Baptist falls to 19-16 with an 11-12 GAC mark.Â
GAME ONE:Â
Carson Wright led the offense with a three hit and 3-RBI game in the first of the doubleheader. Colby Grace added three hits in the win. Will Kates pitched 6 ? innings with six strikeouts, and Dawson Toborg pitched 2 ? innings striking out three and earning his second win of the year.Â
The Rangers had a hit in each of the first two innings but were not able to strike before scoring the game's first run in the third inning after a one out double from Dylan Bradford he came around to score later in the inning on a wild pitch for the 1-0 lead.Â
Northwestern added to the lead in the fourth inning when Chad Green hit one deep to right field for a solo home run and the 2-0 lead. The Rangers added in the fifth inning with three runs as a Harley Shaffer single and Bradford walk led to a 2-RBI triple by Carson Wright for the 4-0 lead before a Connor Green RBI groundout scored Wright.Â
The game remained 5-0 into the seventh inning when the Bison did all their damage in the seventh inning after a double and single put runners on the corners before a fielder's choice scored their first run. This led to an RBI single, and a 2-RBI triple before the game tying double for a five run seventh inning for the Bison evening the score at 5-5.Â
Northwestern wasted no time though, taking the lead back after a lead off single by Harley Shaffer came around to score on a Carson Wright RBI double to take a 6-5 lead.Â
Oklahoma Baptist had a hit in the eighth inning but Toborg left him stranded. Dawson Toborg closed out the game in the ninth inning with a perfect 1-2-3 inning including two strikeouts to seal the 6-5 victory over the Bison.Â
GAME TWO:
Dylan Bradford finished the second game with the most hits, a two hit game and a walk. Connor Green scored the game's run with a solo home run. Colby Mitchell pitched 6 ? shutout innings with three strikeouts while Dawson Toborg closed out the shutout with the final ? of an inning striking out one. Mitchell earned his second win while Toborg closed out his third save.Â
Mitchell threw a perfect first inning before the Ranger defense turned a double play working around a single in the second inning.Â
Chad Green gave the Rangers the lead in the second inning with a solo home run to right center field.Â
Mitchell struck out two Oklahoma Baptist hitters in the third inning, throwing two perfect innings in the third and fourth innings.Â
Oklahoma Baptist got a single in the fifth inning and advanced Bennett to second on a wild pitch but Mitchell got back to back ground outs keeping the Bison off the board.
The seventh inning Oklahoma Baptist put the tying run on base with a single before a second single set the leading run on first. Dawson Toborg had a strikeout and a ground out to close the game out and help the Rangers close out the series win over Oklahoma Baptist with the 1-0 win. This is the Rangers second shutout of the season.Â
Rangers will close out the series with a single game on Monday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 PM against the Bison.
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