Northwest opens MACJC North Division schedule by sweeping Coahoma
 

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Lady Ranger softball team began defense of their MACJC North Division championship by sweeping the Coahoma Lady Tigers March 10 in Senatobia.

Northwest won by scores of 17-2 and 10-0 to open division play. The Lady Rangers, who pushed their win streak to four games, are 8-6 overall.

Northwest has been a dominant force in the MACJC north the last few seasons by claiming two of the last three division crowns and posting a record of 44-14 against north opponents.

The Lady Rangers racked up 10 hits in the first game against Coahoma, five of them for extra bases. Sophomore first baseman Angela Carden of Southaven picked up two hits, three RBI, and scored four runs. 

Northwest jumped to a 12-0 lead after the opening two innings and never looked back in earning the victory.

Lady Ranger freshman pitcher Lauren Kendall (pictured left) of Boyle tossed the first three innings to get the win. Kendall struck out three and allowed just two hits.

In the second game, Northwest needed only five hits to score 10 runs. Sophomore second baseman Haylei Plummer of Pope had two of those hits, while freshman Candice Brasher of Hernando added a solo home run.

Lady Ranger freshman pitcher Magen Fullwood of Shiloh, Tenn., threw a three-hitter over five innings to notch the victory.

 

Lady Rangers defeat Pearl River, split with Hinds

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Lady Ranger softball team knocked off the Pearl River Lady Wildcats 3-2 March 5 in Senatobia. 

Northwest also split a pair of games with the Hinds Lady Eagles March 4 in Raymond. The Lady Rangers lost to Hinds 4-3, but rebounded to claim the nightcap 6-1 to push their overall record to 6-6.

Against Pearl River, Northwest scored all three of its runs in the third inning on an RBI-double by sophomore Angela Carden of Southaven and an RBI-single by freshman Candice Brasher of Hernando.

The Lady Wildcats cut their deficit to 3-2 in the fourth frame, but Brasher pitched the final two innings in relief and shut Pearl River down. Brasher struck out two, while allowing no hits and walking none. Northwest freshman pitcher Magen Fullwood of Shiloh, Tenn., threw the first three innings and got the victory. Fullwood surrendered one hit and one unearned run.

The Lady Rangers held a 3-1 lead in the first contest against Hinds, but the Lady Eagles pushed three runs across in the seventh frame to claim the win.

Brasher and Heather Tomlinson of Holly Springs collected two hits each for Northwest.

The Lady Rangers pounded out 11 hits in the win against Hinds in the second game. Brasher, Mandy Bolden of Holly Springs, and Haylei Plummer of Pope had two hits each. Brasher also picked up three RBI.

Northwest's Fullwood was the winning pitcher by scattering nine hits over seven innings and allowing no earned runs.

Northwest opens home schedule by sweeping a pair from Hinds

Some solid pitching, good defense, and plenty of hits helped the Northwest Mississippi Community College Lady Ranger softball team open their 2010 home schedule with a doubleheader sweep of the Hinds Eagles Feb. 25 in Senatobia.

Northwest won the first contest 8-1, then claimed the nightcap 9-1 to even its record at 2-2.

The Lady Rangers collected 22 hits in the doubleheader and got great pitching performances from a trio of freshmen including Magen Fullwood of Shiloh, Tenn., Rachel McDonald and Candice Brasher, both of Hernando.

Fullwood tossed the complete seven innings and surrendered just five hits in the opener. Fullwood gave up one earned run and struck out three. She was also helped out by some great plays in the field by the Northwest defense.

The Lady Rangers broke a 1-1 tie by exploding for six runs in the third frame. Sophomore shortstop Mandy Bolden of Holly Springs and freshman outfielder Kayla Wilson of Horn Lake both had two-run singles to fuel the rally.

Wilson, Brasher, sophomore catcher Casi Brooks (pictured) of Pope, and sophomore first baseman Angela Carden of Southaven collected two hits each in the contest. Northwest had 12 hits in all. Wilson led the Lady Rangers with three RBI, while Bolden and sophomore third baseman Kristen Cooper of Southaven had two each.

Northwest racked up 10 hits in the second game, three of those came from the bat of sophomore second baseman Haylei Plummer of Pope. Bolden and Brasher picked up two hits each.

The Lady Rangers got all the offense they needed in the first two innings by scoring four runs. Northwest added three more runs in the fourth frame and two more in the fifth.

Brasher was responsible for all of the Lady Rangers' runs in the fourth inning with a bases-loaded double to the gap in right center to help Northwest run-rule Hinds and end the game after five innings.

Pitchers McDonald and Brasher combined to limit Hinds to only six hits. Starter McDonald threw the first three frames and walked just one to earn the win.