by Athletic Communications
The Rangers were ready to get back on the field for a game after Friday’s got moved to Sunday afternoon. The Rangers would sweep SNU in the games.
Game 1:
The Rangers started conference play with a bang. The offense was able to score 13 runs on 13 hits. Billy Rogers led the offense leading the team with three hits along with a game-high 4 RBI’s.
The Pitching was fantastic, as Scott Creedon got the start pitching his first complete game of the season, going seven innings only allowing one run on six hits.
The Rangers wasted very little time getting on the board as Colton Whitehouse sent one over the right-field wall down the line to put the Rangers on top 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
The Crimson Storm had a quick answer though in the top half of the third would tie the game.
The Red-and-Black would jump right back on top from a Bryce Donovan RBI single scoring Darrow to put the Rangers up 2-1 at the end of the third.
The Rangers would take over the game in the fourth inning where they would score eight runs in the inning.
Northwester would put the final damage on the Storm with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The game would conclude after the seventh inning from mercy rule.
Game 2:
Rangers looked to carry the momentum from Game 1 straight into Game 2. Northwestern did not have the same offensive explosion but they got great pitching leading the way to a 3-2 victory over the Crimson Storm.
Donovan and Whitehouse led the way with two hits each for four of the six hits in the game. They both had one RBI each in the game as well to lead the offense.
Blake Hoffman got the starting nod for the Red-and-Black in Game 2 and answered the call. Hoffman picked up his first victory of the 2020 season allowing two-run in five and a third innings pitched. The Rangers called on Kaleb Honea to close the game out.
Southern Nazarene, however, had other ideas trying to shut the door down early.
Southern Nazarene did not pick up their first hit of the game until the fourth inning, however, Hoffman was able to strand him at first.
Rangers offense came alive in the bottom half of the fourth. As Base led the inning off with a single, later stealing second. Few batters later Whitehouse would drive base in with an RBI single to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.
Hoffman would shut Southern Nazarene out in the top of the fifth keeping the momentum on the Rangers side. The Red-and-Black took advantage of that with scoring two more in the bottom of the inning.
Southern Nazarene would try and pull off a comeback with two runs in the top of the sixth with an RBI triple scoring the first run followed up by an RBI single to cut their deficit to 3-2.
Game 3:
Colby Carlson started the afternoon for the Rangers picking up his second consecutive win. He finished the afternoon with five innings pitched, surrendering two runs on five hits. He struck out two while walking two. Jacob Uhing pitched in relief allowing two runs through two innings of work while striking out two as well.
The Red-and-Black wasted no time responding in the bottom half of their inning after a Hamakawa single, Donovan stepped up to the plate and delivered with a two-run home run to left-center field to give the Rangers the 2-1 lead after the first inning.
The Crimson Storm answered in the top of the 3rd inning scoring a run with a single up the middle from Michel cutting the Northwestern lead down to 3-2.
After a scoreless fourth inning from both teams, Northwestern was ready to break the game open during the fifth. Hamakawa led off the frame with a single. After a pitching change, the Rangers would load the bases for Whitehouse.
The Red-and-Black would score two runs off walks from Whitehouse and Erickson setting the stage for Randels. The Ranger lead to 10-2 with a 6 run fifth inning.
Southern Nazarene would score two runs in the top of the seventh inning from a single up the middle followed by an RBI triple sending it to the bottom of the seventh with the Rangers leading 11-4.
The bottom of the seventh the Rangers would get three forcing the 10 run rule through seven innings picking up the win.
The Red-and-Black improve to 5-6 on the season and 3-0 in Great American Conference play. The Rangers will be back in action Tuesday evening in Edmond for a rematch against the University of Central Oklahoma.