By Caitlin Hofen, Feature Editor
Northwestern softball clinched its first conference series win 2-1 against East Central on Friday.
The Lady Rangers opened up the series with their first win at home by hitting four home runs. Hannah Howell pitched a complete game, earning the win with a record of 4-9. Each team made a single error.
ECU got on the board early with a single home run, but Northwestern answered with Macy Spearman getting on base with a single into the left center gap. One out in, Howell earned the second hit of the game, putting two on base for the Lady Rangers. Clean-up batter Laney Anderson batted the first RBI of the game, tying it up 1-1.
In the bottom of the third, Spearman hit 2-2 down the left field line. Howell continued the streak as she hit a home run down the left line, putting the Rangers in the lead 3-1.
Mackenzie Adams opened the bottom of the fourth with a homer into left field. Two outs in, Jaci Oakley also hit a home run in the same spot as Adams, putting them up four against the Lady Tigers 5-1.
The second run for East Central was scored in the fifth inning, and Northwestern answered with a double play from right field to first base. Two advancements on base were made by Anderson off a walk and wild pitch.
The second half of the sixth inning was marked with Spearman batting a double RBI and advancing to third, sending Oakley home. Avery Clark hit the final home run of the game, putting the Rangers up seven against ECU.
East Central attempted to fight back and put two more runs on the scoreboard. But the Lady Rangers overcame and won the first game of the series 9-5.
The first game on Friday was marked with an 8-2 loss for Northwestern.
Ireland Caro started in the circle for the Lady Rangers. Northwestern secured two quick outs at shortstop and in the outfield before the Lady Tigers began getting hits. A single up the middle led to a two-RBI home run immediately, making the score 2-0 in favor of ECU.
Three hits in the top of the second by ECU resulted in an unearned run. Another unearned run was scored by ECU in the third inning off a double.
The only two runs of the game scored by Northwestern were made in the third inning, beginning with Tatum Winters hitting a double into the left center gap. Spearman reached base off a single to right field and Clark sent Winters home with a hit. Howell had an RBI on a sacrifice fly to right field to trail 4-2 against the Lady Tigers.
ECU evened the series at one game each after closing out the 8-2 win over the Lady Rangers.
GAME TWO
Game two opened with Howell on the mound. She got her first strikeout of the game at the second batter of the game, and the other two outs were made on a flyout and a groundout. Clark got on base with a one-out single before Howell hit a home run straight past left center, adding two to the board for the Lady Rangers. A single hit was made by ECU, but it fell short of advancing past first base. The Lady Rangers led 2-0.
In the bottom of the second, Winters struck out but reached first off wild pitch, and Oakley sent them both home for a two-run home run for two RBIs on a homer to left field. This provoked a pitching change for the Lady Tigers, but they had no effect on Northwestern’s offense. Clark hit a two-run home run for two RBIs as well.
Adams reached home on the second error of the game made by ECU, and Howell was able to score an unearned run after being walked. These five hits sent them up seven on the Lady Tigers.
The second pitching change for East Central was made in the bottom half of the third, and Northwestern put two more runs up off of three hits. Oakley reached on a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Restarting the batting lineup, Spearman brought Oakley home off a single. She stole second base before an RBI double by Clark.
ECU scored its first run unearned off of two errors in the top of the fourth. However, Howell still managed to strike out two of the four batters. Two line-drive outs made by the Lady Rangers was no match for the bottom half of the batting lineup, as pinch hitters Ariana Potter and Lindsey McElroy both got two single base-hits. Bases were loaded after Winters hit through the left side, and Oakley was quick to hit in two more runs for an 11-1 lead for the Lady Rangers.
At 11-1, ECU tried to fight back, scoring three runs off four hits. The game ended in the bottom of the fifth as a result of a run-rule after Howell batted in pinch-runner Brooklyn LaChappa, securing the series win for the Lady Rangers. The final score was 12-4.
BATTLING THE BULLDOGS
Tuesday, the Lady Rangers faced the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Lady Bulldogs at home as they hoped to continue their win streak against the school down south.
However, SWOSU scored four runs in the last inning to take the game 9-5. This concluded the season series, with Northwestern winning two of three games.
In the first inning, the Lady Rangers started out strong with five runs off seven hits. This put Northwestern on top early.
The Lady Bulldogs scored their first run of the game in the third inning off a single hit to left center. The game continued without much action.
Things started heating up in the fifth inning as SWOSU scored four runs off Northwestern errors. This tied the game 5-5
In the seventh inning, Northwestern made a pitching change from Ireland Caro to Allie Hufford. The Lady Bulldogs scored four more runs in the last inning to take the game 9-5.
The Lady Rangers will be hosting Arkansas Monticello for a three-game series starting Friday at 3 p.m.
They will play a doubleheader that evening and conclude the series Saturday at 11 a.m.