By NICK VILLALOBOS
Editor-in-Chief
The Northwestern baseball team fell to Henderson State in a three game sweep over the weekend on the road and to non-conference opponent, Oklahoma Christian on Tuesday.
The Rangers and Reddies began play on Friday with a Henderson State walk-off 6-5 win.
Then when the series shifted into Saturday, the Rangers were handed a 4-8 loss in game two and a 1-2 loss in game three of the series.
In game one on Saturday, the Rangers were kept off the board through five innings before having their bats come to life in the sixth.
The Reddies tallied up a seven run lead before that though and the Rangers were unable to overcome the deficit.
To make matters worse for the Rangers, the Reddies added another run following their four runs in the sixth which ultimately halted any momentum they had.
In game two on the day, Henderson opened by scoring two quick runs off the Rangers starting pitcher, Robert Lawhon, in the first inning.
The Rangers looked as if they were going to rally past the Reddies in the final inning, but Henderson State closer, Nick Vanthillo managed to keep the Rangers silent.
As the final out was recorded, Rangers Lawhon would go a full six innings allowing six hits, two runs as well as recording seven strikeouts against the Reddies. Unfortunately, he would also be handed his sixth loss of the season as well.
For Northwestern, the series loss drops them to a tie for ninth with Arkansas Tech in the Great American Conference standings.
Following the series against the Reddies, the Rangers then faced Oklahoma Christian in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, and fell in a heartbreaking, 8-9 loss.
The Rangers opened the game with a 5-3 lead through the first three innings, but the Eagles managed to track them down and surpass the Red-and-Black in the fifth and sixth innings.
With the deficit at three in the eighth inning for the Rangers, Northwestern’s, Jeremy Smith, sparked a quick rally with a three-run, RBI double that scored teammates Gregory Carrington, Greg Marco and Christian Hammerl.
Following the Ranger’s rally in the eighth, the teams then entered the ninth inning deadlocked at 8-8, but unfortunately the Rangers inability to close out games would prove once again, costly as they prevented them from completing the comeback against the Eagles.
With the game on the line, the Rangers allowed the Eagles to get on base by way of a short stop throwing error.
Then following a single, a bunt, a wild pitch and a passed ball by the Eagles, Oklahoma Christian sealed the one run win over the Red-and-Black.
Next up for the Rangers is a trip to Searcy, Arkansas, to face the Harding Bison on Friday and Saturday.