The Northwest Mississippi Community College baseball team finished with a 2-2 record at the Perfect Game Invitational held at USA Stadium, according to team officials. The Rangers defeated No. 13 South Arkansas and No. 24 North Central Missouri, but lost to Jefferson College and Northwest Shoals Community College.
Northwest ended the tournament in fifth place after going 1-2 in pool play. The team concluded the event with a walk-off 1-0 victory over North Central Missouri in Sunday’s crossover game, according to coach Mark Carson.
In their opening game, the Rangers fell 8-1 to Jefferson College. The team struggled offensively, recording just six hits and committing three double plays. Despite the loss, pitcher Eli Deberry struck out six in 4.1 innings, and Mason Gillentine led with two doubles and an RBI, team officials said.
The team rebounded with an 8-4 win over South Arkansas. Tyce Powers earned his fourth win of the season, striking out nine over five innings without allowing earned runs, according to team reports. Key offensive contributions included home runs from Barrett McKenney and Lake Reed, along with multiple RBIs from McKenney.
Northwest struggled in their next game, falling 14-6 to Northwest Shoals. The Patriots scored five runs in the fourth inning, chasing starter Tyler Sullivan early. The Rangers rallied with five runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings but fell short after a six-run sixth inning by Northwest Shoals, which included a grand slam, team officials said.
The Rangers closed the tournament with a dramatic 1-0 victory over North Central Missouri. Mason McMillin hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh, sealing the win for Northwest. Pitcher Conner Young earned his first win of the season, team officials added.
Coach Carson expressed pride in his team’s resilience, noting, “Besides the one game early in the year, it feels like we’ve been in every game and have a chance to win each time out.” The team is scheduled for a full week of games next, including matchups against Mississippi Delta, Meridian, Parkland College, and Southern Arkansas University Tech.
