Northwest Mississippi splits doubleheader with No. 18 Mississippi Gulf Coast

Sentobia, Miss. — Northwest Mississippi Community College split a doubleheader with No. 18 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College on Saturday at Jim Miles Field.

The Rangers (20-11, 7-3) won the first game 14-3 via run rule before losing the second game 12-0 in five innings. The team has now won five consecutive games, their longest streak of the season, according to coach Mark Carson.

In game one, Northwest jumped ahead early with a grand slam by Mason Gillentine in the second inning. The team added ten unanswered runs, including back-to-back home runs from John Whit Snopek and Corey Watkins in the sixth inning, to secure the win. Tyce Powers pitched five strong innings for his third win of the season. “He’s just a great baseball player. Just a dirtbag,” Snopek said of Powers, according to Carson.

Northwest’s offense was led by multiple home runs and timely hits, with Snopek contributing two home runs himself. Gideon Deaton closed out the game in the seventh, earning the victory. Carson praised the team’s performance, saying, “Winning five in a row in this league is really good.”

The second game saw Mississippi Gulf Coast’s ace, James Vines, dominate the Rangers, who managed only two hits. The Bulldogs scored early and often, with a grand slam in the fifth inning sealing the run-rule victory. Northwest struggled against Vines, who entered the game among the top pitchers in the MACCC, and could not mount a comeback.

The team will face Coahoma Community College on Tuesday in Clarksdale for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., with streaming available online. Carson emphasized the importance of bouncing back quickly after the losses, stating, “You have to get off of the mat now and get on a bus to Coahoma.”

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