FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The Whitworth University softball team dropped the opening game to Pacific (Ore.) and the second game was suspended in the fourth inning due to rain.

Whitworth falls to 14-6 on the season, with a 7-3 Northwest Conference record. Pacific improves to 11-2 overall, with a 6-1 NWC mark.

Game 1 – Pacific (Ore.) 9, Whitworth 5
After two scoreless innings, senior Caylan Haehl opened the third inning with a single down the left field line. Haehl stole second and advanced to third on a single from sophomore Alyssa Hall. Junior Taylor Gilbert scored both Haehl and Hall with a single up the middle and the Pirates took a 2-0 lead.

Pacific took a 3-2 advantage in the bottom of the inning as the Quirena Nati hit a three-run homer to take the lead after three innings. The teams went into a rain delay for about 45 minutes in the middle of the fourth inning. The Boxers used a huge fifth inning, using five hits to score four runs and take a 7-2 lead.

The Pirates got a run back in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice hit from freshman Kayla Batastini, but Pacific pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the inning. Whitworth went to bat in the top of the seventh trailing 9-3. Sophomore Megan John reached on a Boxer error and Hall singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. A second Pacific error in the inning allowed John to score and junior Peyton McMahon's sacrifice fly scored Hall, but the Pirates stranded two on base and Pacific earned its third win of the weekend.

Alyssa Hall was 2-3 with two runs scored for the Pirates. Taylor Gilbert went 1-4 with two runs batted in.

Freshman Madi Perez (7-3) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Allie Sims (7-0) earned the win in the circle, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.

Game 2 – Pacific (Ore.) 4, Whitworth 3 (End of the 3rd)
The Pirates and Boxers were able to get three innings of action in before the game was postponed due to weather. Forest Grove's forecast for Sunday is rain, so the game will be completed at a date to be determined.

Whitworth's opens the home portion of the season next weekend as the Pirates host Puget Sound for a pair of doubleheaders. The opening game is set for 12:00 p.m. on both days.