Alva Review-Courier -

ALVA – Northwestern Oklahoma State hosted Fort Hays State for two games for a midweek doubleheader against the Tigers. Fort Hays State took both games on Tuesday with an 8-0 win in Game 1 before coming back after an early Rangers run for a 9-5 win.

Northwestern falls to 17-27 on the season following the two games on Tuesday as the Tigers move to 22-20.

Hannah Howell led the team with two hits in Game 1, while Rachel Sherwood and Macy Spearman had the other hits.

Fort Hays State scored an early run in Game 1 as a double with two outs kept the inning alive before a Beggs RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead. The Tigers extended the lead in their next at bat, as after loading the bases Shepard hit a single back up the middle for a 2-RBI single, scoring two runs for the 3-0 lead.

Rangers looking to answer had two singles back to back but a double play helped the Tigers out of the inning, keeping the Rangers scoreless for the 3-0 lead.

It stayed 3-0 into the fourth inning when the Tigers got another RBI single by Shepard for the 4-0 lead over the Rangers. The lead extended for the Tigers in the fifth inning when the lead was extended on a three-run home run as Gillespie hit a home run to left center to take a 7-0 lead.

In the sixth inning an RBI groundout pushed the Tigers’ lead to 8-0. The Rangers had a hit in the bottom of the sixth inning but were held scoreless as Fort Hays State took the opening game in six innings.

Ireland Caro pitched a scoreless top of the first inning before the Rangers offense struck early as Macy Spearman led the game off with a double down to left field before Rachel Sherwood hit an RBI triple for the 1-0 lead in the first inning.

It stayed 1-0 into the third inning as Fort Hays State struck for two runs in the top of the third inning as Piece walked, followed by a Shepard single before Stuke hit an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. Tiffany, two batters later, hit an RBI single back up the middle for the 2-1 lead.

The deficit for the Rangers did not stay for long as a Howell single and a walk to Avery Clark set up an RBI single by Anderson for a 2-2 tie game through three innings of play.

The game remained tied until the Rangers’ offense struck again in the fourth inning when Hannah Howell delivered an RBI single to right field, scoring Ashely Low for the 3-2 lead over the Tigers.

Fort Hays State answered back with two runs in the fifth inning after an in-the-park home run to lead off the inning tied the game at 3-3. Later, after a lineout, Beggs hit a solo home run to take a 4-3 lead over the Rangers in the fifth inning.

In the sixth inning Fort Hays State scored three more runs as a two-RBI single pushed their lead to 6-3 before a Dominguez RBI double brought it to 7-3 through the top of the sixth.

The Rangers answered back with two runs in the bottom of the inning as Hannah Howell hit an RBI single to right field followed by an Avery Clark RBI single for the 7-5 deficit.

Fort Hays State added two runs in the seventh to bring their lead back to four runs before closing out the 9-5 victory over the Rangers.

Northwestern has three home games left, hosting a weekend series against Southern Arkansas starting with a doubleheader today before closing out the series Saturday morning for Senior Day.