Ranger rides long ball to win over NTCC
Leading Northeast Texas Community College 7-3 with one out in the top of the ninth, it looked like Ranger College was well on its way to a series-opening win. The Eagles had other ideas. NTCC quickly put two runners in scoring position and a 2-RBI single from Kyle Moos cut the Rangers lead in half, 7-5. Northeast got within 7-6 with a bases loaded walk, but Nolan Gazouski came into a bases loaded two-out situation and ended the game with one pitch when he got Justin Bundy to hit a weak popup on the infield to secure the Rangers 7-6 victory.
"First off Josh Hendrickson was amazing," said Ranger head coach Josh Blakley. "He kept battling and was really gusty. He did a great job of keeping them off balance and gave us a chance to start scoring."
The Rangers used the long ball to get back in the win column. As a team, they hit four balls out of the park, which accounted for six of the seven runs they scored.
"We were really competitive at the plate today. We tried to take away their starters fastball and we finally did it in about the fourth inning, which forced him to start throwing a lot of breaking balls. That got us into some good hitting counts and got him out of the game," Blakley said.
Northeast jumped on top in the third inning blasting a pair of solo home runs of their own. Ranger answered back when Austin Tidwell smacked a two-out two-run home run to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning. Luis Vargas followed with a solo shot that gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead, which they would not give up.
DECIDING MOMENT
With runners on first and second and nobody out in the top of the seventh, Blakley called on Michael Parmley to get RC out of the inning. The freshman responded. Parmley caught the runner at first napping, which started a run down. RC quickly turned its focus to the runner on second obtaining out No. 1 and then was able to pick up the second out tagging the trail runner before he was able to get back to the first base bag. Out of the inning with its, 5-3 lead intact. Gazouski made the Eagles pay in the bottom half of the frame when he smoked a 2-run home run that pushed the lead to 7-3.
BREAKING OUT OF THE STAT BOX
Vargas had a monster day at the dish going 2-for-4 with two home runs and a pair of RBIs.Hendrickson went six innings striking out eight and allowed just two runs on three hits.
SCHEDULE SAYS
Ranger is right back at it Saturday when they play their fourth and fifth games in three days starting at noon against Northeast Texas Community College.