SPOKANE, Wash. – Despite recording its sixth and seventh home runs of the season, the Whitworth softball team was unable to pull out wins over the visiting Boxers from Pacific University. Whitworth fell to 6-10 on the season, 3-7 in Northwest Conference action while Pacific improves to 10-8, 7-3 in the NWC.
Game 1 – Pacific (Ore.) 4, Whitworth 0
Sophomore pitcher Riley Fritz was to go four innings without allowing a run and only giving up two hits, but the Boxers connected in the fifth inning, as they drove one run across on a Whitworth error. The Boxers tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning to go ahead 4-0.
Whitworth tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading off with senior Jamie Brunner's single to right field. Senior Heather Hesselgesser followed with a single that advanced Brunner to second base. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch from Pacific's Marissa Reichard, and freshman Bailey Kasler walked, loading the bases. Whitworth's next three batters went down in order, stranding all of the base runners and ending the Bucs' threat.
Marissa Reichard (5-0) got the win in the circle, giving up just three hits in seven innings. Riley Fritz (5-2) took the loss, giving up four runs on eight hits in seven innings pitched.
Brunner, Hesselgesser and Fritz each went 1-for-3 at the plate and combined for Whitworth's three hits.
Game 2 – Pacific (Ore.) 8, Whitworth 3
After a scoreless inning-and-a-half, Bailey Kasler connected with a pitch that went over the left field wall for the freshman's second home run of the season. Junior Julia Johnson followed Kasler's at-bat with a home run in almost the exact same spot over the left field wall that put the Pirates up 2-0.
Pacific answered with two runs in the fourth inning to tie up the score and then went ahead on a two-run fifth inning. The Bucs were able to get a run back in the sixth inning as sophomore Sacha Clow was hit by a pitch and then scored on a triple from senior Jessica Ross. The Boxers put themselves out of reach in the top of the seventh as they scored four runs for an 8-3 score.
Sara Aasness (3-1) earned the win, giving up three earned runs on eight hits in seven innings pitched. Sophomore Taylor Gilbert took the loss, giving up four earned runs on seven hits in five innings pitched.
In addition to Kasler and Johnson's home runs, senior Jamie Brunner went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Jessica Ross went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Whitworth will wrap-up its conference weekend with a doubleheader against Pacific (Ore.) on Sunday, starting at noon.
