Box Score
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WEATHERFORD, Okla. – A high-scoring series finale went the way of the visitors on Saturday as Northwestern Oklahoma State scored in the top of the ninth inning to earn a 12-11 victory over the Bulldogs on Senior Day.
All nine players in the lineup for SWOSU recorded a hit as the Bulldogs finished with 18 base hits for the game, one fewer than the Rangers. The Dawgs scored first, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI groundout from
Chris Faulkner and an RBI single by
Zack Mang. After the Rangers scored five runs on five hits in the top of the second inning, SWOSU got back within two as
Adam Iago grounded out to first base, allowing
Jaden Chappell to score from third base.
Northwestern scored another run in the third to take a 6-3 lead that stood until the bottom of the fourth inning. SWOSU sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth as they scored seven runs on seven hits to regain the lead by a count of 10-6.
JR Head had an RBI ground-rule double, followed by a two-run home run from
Brandon Ruiz to open the scoring. Following a
Dalton Daniels double, Mang added another RBI single and
Dietrick Turney tripled down the left field line to score Mang. Chappell brought Turney in with an RBI single and he would score as
Blaine Smith added an RBI double to left center.
The SWOSU lead was slowly whittled away by Northwestern, who scored two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh to take an 11-10 lead. Iago singled in the seventh inning, stole second base and scored on a throwing error by the Rangers to tie the game heading into the eighth inning. Both teams were held scoreless in the eighth to set the stage for the final inning.
NWOSU got a leadoff single in the eighth and the runner reached second on a sac bunt and third on a fly out to left field, but a two-out single brought in the go-ahead run. With two outs in the ninth, Head and Ruiz got back-to-back singles and stood at first and second with Daniels at the plate, but he grounded out to the shortstop to end the game.
Head, Ruiz and Mang all had three-hit games in their final home conference game while Daniels, Turney and Chappell each had two hits in the contest.
Jacob Swigart got the start for SWOSU on the mound, but allowed 11 hits and six earned runs in 3.1 innings before
Tyler Hampton relieved him.
Dillon Wilson cooled off the Rangers for the eighth inning but gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth and took the loss, making him 0-1 on the year.
SWOSU (24-21, 16-14 GAC) clinched their spot in the Great American Conference Tournament with two wins on Friday and they were locked into the No. 5 seed with Saturday's loss. The Bulldogs will take on the No. 2 seed Arkansas-Monticello next Saturday, May 3, at 3:30 pm in Enid, Okla. Prior to that game, however, SWOSU will conclude the regular season with a 3:00 pm game against Newman on Tuesday at the Athletic Complex.
