SALEM, Ore. – The Whitworth University softball team earned a pair of Northwest Conference wins over Willamette at Willamette Softball Field on Sunday afternoon. The Pirates used two five-run games to defeat the Bearcats and join Linfield College at the top of the conference standings.

Whitworth improves to 11-3 on the season with a perfect 4-0 record in the NWC. Willamette falls to 1-5 overall, 0-4 in the NWC.

Game 1 – Whitworth 5, Willamette 4
Willamette struck first, putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Whitworth followed a scoreless second inning with three runs in the top of the third. Freshman Shannon Wessel doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third and a wild pitch allowed senior Caylan Haehl to score. Junior Peyton McMahon followed the wild pitch with a double to left field, scoring both Wessel and freshman Tessa Matthews.

Willamette pulled even with the Pirates in the fourth inning, but Whitworth scored again in the sixth inning on a wild pitch. McMahon batted in her third run of the day in the top of the seventh inning to put the Pirates up 5-3. The Bearcats added an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Pirates were able to end the game before Willamette could complete the comeback.

Peyton McMahon went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Shannon Wessel went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Freshman Makayla Lefever earned her first win in the circle, giving up two earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts in six innings pitched. Freshman Madi Perez earned the save with one strikeout in the seventh inning. Makayla Hari (0-1) took the loss for Willamette, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched.

Game 2 – Whitworth 5, Willamette 2
After a scoreless first inning, senior Julia Johnson started off the second inning with a double down the left field line. With runners on second and third, freshman Kelsey Stroshine hit a two-run single through the right side to put the Pirates up 2-0. Willamette put a run on the board in the bottom of third to make it a 2-1 game.

Both teams scored in the fifth inning, making it 3-2 in favor of the Pirates. In the top of the sixth, junior Sacha Clow used her second hit of the game to send sophomore Alyssa Hall home and give the Pirates a two-run lead. Whitworth added its fifth run of the game when a Bearcat error allowed senior Makenzie Hope to score, sealing Whitworth's sweep of Willamette.

Junior Sacha Clow was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Kelsey Stroshine was 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Madi Perez (5-1) earned the win, allowing six hits with one earned run and three strikeouts in seven innings. Jade Smith (1-1) took the Bearcat loss, allowing eight hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts in seven innings.

Whitworth continues Northwest Conference action at Pacific Lutheran with a pair of doubleheaders in Tacoma on March 1st and 2nd. Both days will begin at 12:00 p.m.