OSN Staff
ALVA – Rivalry week brought the Bulldogs of Southwestern Oklahoma State up to Alva to take on Northwestern Oklahoma State, splitting the first two games in the season’s final series.
[Update: Due to inclement weather, the final game of the series was canceled.]
The Rangers took Game One of the series on a walk-off by a final score of 4-3.
Northwestern starter Thomas Sander had his best outing of the year on the mound for the Rangers in game one, going deep into the ball game, exiting in the seventh inning, while allowing three runs on two hits. Opposite Sander, was Bulldog hurler Jeremy Smith. Smith went five and a third allowing five hits and two runs.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the second on a double by Garret Gaunt, cashing in Rafael Otero. Sander would limit the damage in the second and get out of the jam. The Ranger answered back in the fourth on a single through the left side by TJ Kassner, scoring Steven Deckard from second.
The sixth inning saw the Bulldogs scratch across two, followed by the Rangers picking up a run in the bottom half of the inning.
In the ninth inning, the Rangers bats woke up, chalking up three singles in a row to tie the game at three’s. The Bulldogs brought in closer Quintin Dougherty to slow down the Ranger bats, but with runners on second and third with one out, senior Colton Krokroskia hit a grounder to 2nd, and second basemen Gaunt went home with the ball to stop the Rangers from walking off, however Kassner dove head first and evaded the tag for the Ranger walk-off.
The Bulldogs prevailed over the Rangers in Game Two of Friday’s double header by a final score of 7-1.
Bulldogs starter Gunnar Cook went the distance in the seven inning game for his second complete game of the year. Cook gave up just five hits on one run, while sitting down eight Rangers on strikeouts. Cooks command of his fastball and curveball had the Rangers off balance all game.
The Bulldogs capitalized on 11 free bases issued by the Rangers pitching staff, only coming up with four hits in the contest but managing seven runs. Three of the Bulldogs four hits were off the bat of third basemen Daniel Richardson. Richardson was three for three in the contest with two RBIs to his credit.
Outside of the Rangers scratching one across in the bottom of the seventh, they just didn’t have the answer to Cook on the mound.
The Rangers and Bulldogs would split the day and eventually the series due to game three being cancelled because of weather.
The Rangers finish the season with a record of 14-34, while the Bulldogs finish regular season play with a record of 17-24. The Bulldogs start postseason play this upcoming weekend as they move onto the Great American Conference tournament.
The Rangers say goodbye to 10 seniors. Infielders: Casey Dickerman and Trent Earley; outfielders: Jake Long, Colton Krokroskia, Garrett Douglas, and Cooper Stanley; pitchers: Thomas Sander, and Jonathan Bauer and catcher B.A Castro.