Knights Win Streak Reaches 8 Games

The 25th ranked Northwood Knights continued their winning streak with 7-3 and 2-1 victories against Oklahoma Wesleyan University on Saturday.

Kane Kimrey won his third straight game giving up one run on six hits striking out six through six innings. Kimrey lowered his ERA to 3.27. The game was never in doubt as Northwood carried a 7-0 lead into the fifth. Darby Walker, Justin Keithley, Justin Coats, Jeff Sakowski, and Shane Bagley highlighted the Knights offensive attack providing six of the nine team hits.

Walker, Corey Sartor, and Sakowski combined to pitch a gem in a 2-1 victory in game two. The trio gave up one run on three hits and struck out 10. Sakowski provide the offensive punch in the first inning. After a two out single by Coats, Sakowski doubled to left scoring Coats. He later scored on an errant throw. That's all the runs the Knights would need to extend their winning streak to eight games.

The Knights (13-5) host the University of Houston-Victoria next Saturday in Cedar Hill.

Montgomery Leads Knights To Victory Over OWU

Winter came calling again Friday as the Northwood Knights hosted Oklahoma Wesleyan for an afternoon baseball matchup. The teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader but a cold rain swept through the area forcing the postponement of the second game until Saturday.

NU came into the day riding a five-game winning streak and sent Trent Montgomery to the mound making his fourth start of the season. Montgomery continued his dominance giving up one earned run on five hits and struck out six in a 5-2 complete game victory. He runs his record to 3-1 with three complete games.

Northwood took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Darby Walker doubled with one out and Jeff Sakowski drove him in with an RBI double. After a slow start to the season, the Knight's Sakowski has exploded at the plate in the last four games. Sakowski is 8 for 14 with three homeruns, three doubles, and nine RBIs.

Down 2-1 in the third, the Knights bounced back with two runs to retake the lead. Justin Coats doubled to start the inning and scored on Sakowski's second double of the game. Adam Humes singled to right scoring Sakowski. NU put the game away in the fifth as Matthew Redding homered to right and J.P. Cazares drove in Humberto Miranda for the 5-2 win.

Sakowski Named RRAC Co-Player of the Week

The Knight's Jeff Sakowski was named Red River Athletic Conference Baseball Co-Players of the Week for Feb. 15-21.

Sakowski, a senior outfielder from Arlington, Texas, blasted three home runs and eight RBIs as the Knights won all five of their games last week. He went 2-for-3 and scored three times in a 14-3 win over College of the Ozarks (Mo.) on Friday. In a double-header with Ozarks on Saturday, Sakowski boosted his totals with a 4-for-5 performance including all three of his homers and six RBIs. He was 7-for-17 in all with seven runs scored for Northwood, which now has a record of 10-5.

Knights Finish Sweep of Bobcats

Jeff Sakowski had 3 Home Runs on the weekend.

The Northwood Knights nailed down their eighth and ninth wins of the season after completing a doubleheader sweep of College of the Ozarks on Saturday. The victories extended the Knight's win streak to five games. Though successful, the wins weren't easy.
The Knights were forced to mount a big comeback for the game one win. The Bobcats jumped out to a 6-0 lead on starter Corey Sartor and reliever Sean Ayala. Sartor was lifted in the fourth inning with one out and the bases loaded. Ayala gave up consecutive singles allowing three runs to score.
NU began their comeback in the bottom of the fourth as Jeff Sakowski led off the inning with a solo homer, his second of the year. The Knights scored twice in the fifth with RBI doubles by Sakowski and Adam Humes. Trailing 6-4 in the seventh, the Knights completed the comeback with a two out, three-run rally. NU combined two hits and four walks to take the 7-6 victory. Chase Campbell pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.
Both teams came out swinging in the second game. The Knights scored three runs in the first on three hits. With one out, Justin Keithley and Justin Coats singled to set the table for Sakowski's three-run homerun. The 3-1 lead was shortlived. NU's Garrett Randle couldn't hold the lead as the Bobcats came roaring back with four runs in the second to take a 5-3 lead. With two out in the bottom of the second, the Knight's Anthony Washington delivered an RBI double to cut the lead to 5-4.
The Bobcats extended their lead to 7-5 in the fifth to set up the Knight's late inning dramatics. With one out, Sakowski hit his third homerun of the day, a solo shot to trim the lead to 7-6. After a walk and a single, Thomas Huggins launched a three-run homer to right. NU added one more for the final 10-7 score. Tyler Rucker picked up the win with 3 2/3 innings of relief.
The Knights (9-5) host Oklahoma Wesleyan Univesity next Friday at Knights Field.

Knights Take First Two From Bobcats

The Northwood Knights extended their winning streak to three games with a doubleheader sweep of the College of the Ozarks on Friday 4-2 and 14-3.
NU starter, Trent Montgomery dominated the first game going the distance for the victory. Montgomery (2-1) gave up one earned run on three hits and struckout 12 lowering his season ERA to 2.66.
Down 2-0, the Knights tied the score in the fourth on three extrabase hits. Catcher Johnny Aldaz led off the inning with a solo homerun, his third of the year. With two out, Shane Bagley doubled to left-center and scored and scored on J.P. Cazares' double down the rightfield line.
Northwood took the lead for good in the sixth as Justin Keithley drove in two runs with a two-out double to left. Montgomery held the lead for the 4-2 win.
NU turned up the offensive heat in the second game posting four runs on three hits in the first inning. The big hit came with two outs and the Knights leading 2-0. Matthew Redding doubled to left scoring Jeff Sakowski and Adam Humes.
Starter Kane Kimrey (2-1) pitched six strong innings to pick up the victory. Kimrey struggled in the fourth working out of a bases loaded jam giving up two runs in the inning. The Bobcats managed seven hits, all singles against Kimrey.
Leading 7-3, the Knights pulled away in the sixth scoring seven runs on four hits. Sakowski, Humes, and Redding stepped up to deliver RBI hits to extend the lead to 11-3. With the bases loaded, pinch hitter Cutter Forman ended the game with a base clearing double to clinch the victory.

Weekend Schedule Change

The Knights games this weekend have been moved to Saturday/Sunday beginning each day at noon. The location has also been changed from QT Ballpark to Knights Field at Northwood.

The Knights will take on Defending National Champions, Lubbock Christian on Saturday and perennial powerhouse Oklahoma City University on Sunday.