By KAYLEA BROWN, Senior Reporter
The Northwestern Ranger baseball team swept the East Central University Tigers in all three games of the weekend series.
Game One was played on Friday night, with the Rangers winning 19-9 in the seventh inning.
Shaughn Kelly cleared the loaded bases in the inning, clinching the win for the Rangers with the run rule.
Hayden Priest led the team Friday night with four hits, four runs scored and six RBIs.
Brayden Koenig also had four hits. Kelly had four RBIs, including the game-winning hit.
The Rangers got a 3-0 run in the first inning. East Central got one run in the third inning.
Northwestern responded in the bottom of the inning by scoring nine runs.
First baseman Blake Hoffman said this is one thing fans can look forward to this season.
“This year, we look forward to a lot of wins, a lot of hits and a lot of hard ball,” Hoffman said.
Game Two of the weekend series also resulted in a 22-12 win for the Rangers over East Central.
Yugo Hamakawa led the team in hitting, with four hits and five runs. Hamakawa, Kelly and Hoffman are tied with four RBIs.
Chase Orrock hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Rangers the 6-3 lead.
The game went on a three-inning stretch without runs from either team after Hamakawa helped the Rangers cut the deficit to 9-8 in the second inning.
Kelly hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, making the score 12-9, with the Rangers leading.
Hoffman ended the game with an RBI double that made the score 22-12 in the seventh inning.
Junior outfielder Brandon Koenig said his goal going into the games was bringing the intensity that the team had against Arkansas-Monticello and rivaling what they did in those games.
The Rangers ended the weekend series with a 6-4 win.
Kelly finished Game Three with two RBIs. Hoffman led the team with three RBIs, and Hamakawa led with two hits.
East Central took a 4-0 lead in the second inning after scoring two runs in the first and two in the second.
The Rangers scored in the third inning, making the score 4-2. The game remained scoreless until Northwestern scored one in the sixth inning.
Hamakawa and Brandon Holdren got on base in the seventh inning.
Hoffman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning, securing the win for the Rangers.
After Game One, Holdren said he was hoping the momentum would carry into the doubleheader on Saturday. The Rangers’ next game will be in Durant against Southeastern Oklahoma State University.