Senatobia, Miss. – Whittney Gee's speed came in handy for the Northeast Mississippi Community College softball team in a crucial situation on Friday.
Gee legged out a triple and later scored what would be the decisive run for the Tigers in a 4-3 victory over Northwest Mississippi Community College in the latter game of a doubleheader at Ranger Field.
Northeast also claimed the opener by a score of 2-0 to sweep a crucial Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division series on the road.
With her team clinging to a 2-1 lead, Bianca Chagolla led off the top of the sixth inning with a single up the middle.
Gee then connected on a ball that got past centerfielder Katelyn Westbrook. The Vardaman native raced around the bags for her first career triple that plated Chagolla to extend the Tigers' advantage to 3-1.
Abigail Rish scored Gee moments later with a pinch-hit RBI groundout to second base that put Northeast (11-19, 6-4) ahead 4-1 with just two frames to play.
Northwest made things interesting, though, in the bottom of the seventh. Andi Barrett reached on a fielder's choice with one out and touched the plate on Kendall Alford's home run that cut the Rangers' deficit to 4-3.
Chelsea Buntin was not fazed by the long ball, however, and induced two straight infield flies to secure the win. Buntin tossed the final three innings to earn her second save of the season.
Chagolla (4-8) grabbed the win and allowed one run on four hits in four frames of work. Lindsey Shaw (2-2) gave up all four Northeast runs and took the loss.
The Tigers took the lead in the third. Shannon Goode and Buntin led off with back-to-back singles and advanced a base on a fielding error.
Goode came home on Trenisha King's groundout while courtesy runner Audrey Goss scored on an infield hit to the shortstop by Chagolla to give Northeast a 2-0 advantage.
Buntin and the Ranger duo of Kiley Dunagan and Micalah Beall went head-to-head in a great pitcher's duel during the opening contest of the afternoon.
A freshman from Glen, Buntin (6-8) went the distance and did not allow a run. The left-hander struck out six, walked just one and gave up only four hits.
Dunagan was flawless in four innings in the circle, but the Tigers finally figured out Beall (2-1) in the seventh.
Avery Springer singled to start the frame and advanced on a beautiful sacrifice bunt off the bat of Haley Christian.
After Springer advanced on a passed ball, Goode plated her on a fielder's choice to break the stalemate. New Albany's Goode then scored one batter later on Buntin's line drive double to left field.
Roxanna Kimes singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but Buntin retired three straight Rangers (15-10, 6-4) and got Naomi Newcom to strike out swinging to close the contest.
Northeast had 12 base knocks in the pair of games with Buntin accounting for three of them. The Tigers made only two errors on the day, both of which were left stranded on the bases.
Another crucial MACJC North Division doubleheader looms for Northeast on Tuesday, March 25. The Tigers travel to Holmes Community College to wrap up the opening half of conference action with a 2 p.m. first pitch.