The Northwest Mississippi Community College softball team, ranked No. 20, split a doubleheader with National Park College on Thursday at the Ranger Softball Complex. The Rangers won the first game 8-0 before falling 4-0 in the second.
In the opener, Northwest scored three runs in the first and third innings, aided by a double from Hadley McAtee and an RBI single from Emma Jenning. Meredith Dearman earned her third win of the season, allowing only two hits, with four strikeouts and one walk. Her season ERA now stands at 0.61, the third-best among pitchers with at least 18 innings, according to the team.
“Dearman has been completely healthy and dominant,” Coach Chelsea Bramlett said. “She gets the job done even in tough situations. She’s going to be fine if she keeps doing that.”
In game two, National Park took an early lead in the second inning on a double by Kaitlyn Moreno. The Nighthawks scored four runs in the sixth inning to secure the win. Catelyn Brown started on the mound for Northwest and held NPC to just one hit through five innings. Despite a defensive highlight—Rhoden starting a double play in the fifth—the Rangers couldn’t mount a comeback, and NPC added two more runs in the sixth.
With the split, Northwest moves to 5-3 on the season. The team will travel to Booneville Friday for two neutral-site games against Wabash Valley College, scheduled for 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Head coach Chelsea Bramlett emphasized a focus on improving consistency and making adjustments after more than a week without games.
Fans can keep up with upcoming games by visiting nwccrangers.com or following the team’s social media accounts.
