By RYAN SHUMAKER
Sports Editor
One down, ten to go.
The Northwestern baseball team took care of business this weekend and picked up their first conference series win of the year.
Conference play consists of teams with-in the Great American Conference competing against each other in three game weekend series, usually with one game on Fridays and then a double header on Saturday.
For the first conference series of the year the Rangers baseball team headed south to Durant, Okla. and took on the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Rangers won the first game 3-1, dropped the second game 4-0, and then clinched the series with a 4-0 victory Saturday afternoon.
The Savage Storm jumped out to an early lead during the first game when a lead-off single scored against Ranger starting pitcher Walker Wharton, putting the Storm up 1-0.
The Rangers quickly responded however in the top of second when freshman Steven Deckard drove in shortstop Xyruse Martinez and then later scored when senior Matt Benn reached on a Southeastern fielding error.
Wharton took advantage of the early lead and didn’t give up a hit during the next four innings while Deckard scored again in the top of the fourth inning. Right-handed Trevor Rakers relieved Wharton in the bottom of the seventh and faced just one batter, who grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Junior Stetson Buller once again came in to set-up closer Jonathan Bauer, who sealed the Rangers 3-1 victory with his second save of the year.
The next day the Rangers and Savage Storm faced off in a double-header that featured some dominate pitching.
In the first game the Rangers could only manage six hits and left all of those runners on base in a 4-0 loss. Junior Dakota Stanek came on in relief of starting pitcher Pat Delano and retired all six of the batters he faced in another strong showing for the Rangers bull-pen.
In the second game of the double-header, the strong pitching continued for the Black-and-Red and the bats finally seemed to catch fire as well.
The Rangers got four of the nine base runners around to home plate this time out, leading to a 4-0 victory. Martinez led the way, going 2-3 from the plate with two RBI’s.
The star of the game for the Rangers however was South Carolina native Robert Lawhon. Lawhon threw a complete game two hitter for the Rangers, striking out nine Southeastern batters along the way.
The strong performance was much needed for Lawhon, as he struggled in his first three appearances of the season. The complete game gave the Ranger’s bullpen some much needed rest after a great weekend of pitching.
The Rangers (4-7, 2-1 GAC) take the field this weekend against East Central University at home at Glass Family Field.
Friday’s game is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch, and Saturday’s double header well begin at noon, with the third and final game to start immediately following the conclusion of the first game.