SENATOBIA – An out away from an important road sweep, Northwest's Shelby Payne hit a walk-off, two-run home run to lift the Rangers to a 2-1 win to salvage a split with No. 6 Jones Saturday afternoon.

Jones moved to 26-10, 13-3 in the MACCC while Northwest improved to 19-13, 6-10 in the conference.

The Bobcats return home Tuesday to face No. 12 East Central after two weeks on the road.

Jones 5, Northwest 1

Reanna Nieman sat down a career-high 14 and eight different Bobcats registered a hit in a game one win.

Ellie Fryar gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo shot to left, but that's all Nieman would allow.

A wild pitch and ensuing throwing error by the Ranger catcher gave Jones its first lead in the second, 2-1, scoring both Meredith Fontenot and Makynlie Jones.

It stayed that way into the sixth when Fontenot's RBI-double made it 3-1 Bobcats. Jones would follow a batter later with a two-run homer to left to make it 5-1.

Nieman (13-3) scattered five hits, the one run, 14 strikeouts and just one walk for the win. Fryar had three of the Rangers' five hits.

Jayden Sawyer, Kaleigh Steverson and Jones each had multiple hits.

Northwest 2, Jones 1

Sawyer struck out eight and allowed just two singles through 6.2 innings but gave up a walk-off, two-run homer with two outs in the seventh as Northwest stole a game two victory.  

Morgen Brewton was equally impressive in the circle for Northwest, allowing an unearned run.

Jones was fortunate to get on the board in the fifth, using a throwing error after an infield lineout to score Fontenot for a 1-0 lead.

Consecutive strikeouts to start the bottom of the seventh had Jones an out away before a single, stolen base and ensuing Payne homer ended it.