By MEGAN SPRAY
Rangers drop series finale Sunday after splitting Saturday games with Ouachita Baptist making their conference record 14-16.
Game 1 on Saturday
Northwestern opened the weekend with an 11-6 comeback win in the first game of the doubleheader.
Ouachita scored two runs early, but the Rangers answered in the second inning. Matthew Bailey drove in a run, and McCarty tied the game with a sacrifice bunt. Harris later gave Northwestern the lead with a hit to right field.
The game remained close, with Ouachita taking the lead again late and going up 6-3 in the seventh inning.
Northwestern responded with a strong rally. Goodfellow hit a double to bring in a run, Barton tied the game, and McCarty gave the Rangers the lead.
In the eighth inning, the Rangers added to their lead, including a three-run home run by Goodfellow to put the game out of reach.
Goodfellow led the team with three hits and four RBIs.
Game 2 on Saturday
The Rangers came up short in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, losing 6-4 after a late comeback attempt.
Northwestern scored first when Lindahl got on base and moved into scoring position and later scored on a wild pitch. The Rangers added another run in the fifth inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Ouachita responded in the sixth inning with six runs, quickly turning the game around.
Northwestern tried to rally in the bottom of the inning. Lindahl and Cole Barton got on base to start things off, and Jason McCarty brought in a run with a single. Harris added another hit to load the bases, and Alex Dabrowski drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-4.
The Rangers were unable to score again, and Ouachita held on for the win.
Game 3 on Sunday
The Northwestern Ranger baseball team lost 10-2 to Ouachita Baptist on Sunday, falling short in the final game of a three-game conference series after splitting a doubleheader the day before.
Ouachita Baptist took control early, scoring five runs in the first inning and putting the Rangers behind from the start.
Northwestern answered in the third inning. Brody Harris hit a double to begin the inning, and Blake Mattern and Joel Lindahl each earned a walk to load the bases. Jailon Goodfellow followed with a single to right field, bringing in two runs and cutting the lead to 5-2.
That would be the Rangers’ only scoring of the game.
Ouachita added one run in the fifth inning and pulled away with four more in the ninth to secure the win. Goodfellow led Northwestern with two hits and two RBIs.
Northwestern will return to action April 24 when they travel to Weatherford to face Southwestern Oklahoma State and compete for a spot in the Great American Conference Tournament.
The Rangers sit 8th in the GAC standings.