By Brett Brown

For The Observer

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Ranger baseball team moved to 4-0 by sweeping a doubleheader from the Rend Lake College Warriors on Feb. 19 at Ranger Field in Senatobia. Northwest won the opener, 6-5, then claimed the nightcap, 10-8.

Northwest suffered its first loss of the season by falling to Southeastern Iowa, 14-7, on Feb. 21 in Senatobia.

In the first contest against Rend Lake, the Rangers claimed the victory in the bottom of the eighth inning when sophomore second baseman Seth Milliorn of Olive Branch singled with one out to score sophomore Kevin Crum of Southaven from third base. Crum reached base after being hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and moved to second base after an intentional walk to Ronnie Ferrell of Water Valley. Crum advanced to third after a throwing error by the Warriors' first baseman.

Milliorn's walk-off single was his third hit of the game. He added his first home run of the season with a solo blast in the fifth inning to give Northwest a 5-2 lead.

Rend Lake tied the contest at 5-5 in the top of the seventh inning by moving three runs across the plate.

Ranger sophomore pitcher Mark Husband of Tunica shut the Warriors down by retiring all three Rend Lake batters in the top of the eighth to get the win and move his record to 1-0.

Northwest hit three homers in the second game en route to claiming the victory.

Freshman Drew Griffin of Somerville, Tenn., collected a three-run blast in the third inning. Sophomore Hunter Parham of Southaven and freshman Ethan Bright of Batesville hit back-to-back homers in the first inning.

Parham's was a two-run shot that also scored Ferrell. Both Parham and Bright had two hits each. The Rangers held an 8-4 lead headed into the fifth before Rend Lake plated four runs to tie the contest.

Northwest scored the game-winning runs in the bottom half of the fifth when sophomore Davis Horton of Oxford scored on an error by the Warrior catcher and freshman Chad Wardlaw of Olive Branch scored on a wild pitch.

Ranger freshman pitcher Heath Kitchens of Pontotoc earned the win to improve to 1-0, while sophomore Adam Moore of Senatobia picked up his first save of the season.

Northwest fell behind Southeastern Iowa, 8-2, after three innings and never recovered. The Rangers got back-to-back solo home runs from Horton and Crum in the fifth inning. Crum finished the contest with three hits.