TACOMA, Wash. – Chelsey Hayes and Peyton McMahon combined to drive in eight runs to lead visiting Whitworth to a sweep of Puget Sound in a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.  The Pirates won the opener 13-2 in five innings, then took the nightcap 5-0.

Whitworth improved to 20-6 overall and 11-3 in the NWC.  Today's wins, combined with George Fox's (21-5, 11-3) split at Willamette, moved the Bucs into a first place tie atop the NWC with the Bruins.  The Loggers fell to 4-20, 1-11.  Whitworth and UPS will complete the four-game series with another doubleheader on Sunday.

Hayes went 4-7 on the day with two doubles and four RBIs.  McMahon went 3-6 and hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season.

Game 1 – Whitworth 13, Puget Sound 2 (5 innings)
McMahon went 2-3 and drove in all four of her runs on the day, while Hayes went 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. 

Pirate starting pitcher Madi Perez improved to 10-3 this season after allowing two runs on only two hits in five innings of work.  She struck out five and walked two. 

After picking up an unearned run in the opening inning, the Pirates posted five runs in the second.  Shannon Wessel drew a bases-loaded walk and McMahon followed with a two-run double.  Wessel scored on a wild pitch and Kayla Batastini's single drove in McMahon for a 6-0 lead.

Whitworth added another run in the third for a 7-0 lead. 

After UPS pulled within 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates blew the game open with six more runs in the top of the fifth.  Hayes doubled home the first two runs and McMahon followed with a two-run homer.  Jessica Albinson closed the inning with her first career RBI.

Game 2 – Whitworth 5, Puget Sound 0
Makayla Lefever was nearly untouchable for the fourth straight start in the circle and Hayes had two more hits and two more RBIs.

Lefever improved to 10-2 by tossing a seven-inning three-hitter.  She struck out three and walked none while lowering her season ERA to 1.10.  Over her last four starts she has a 0.50 ERA.

Hayes drove in Whitworth's first run with an RBI double to left field in the third inning.  Sacha Clow added an RBI single that drove in Hayes and gave Whitworth a 2-0 lead.

The same pair added to the lead in the fifth frame.  Hayes drove in Alyssa Hall with an RBI single and scored on Clow's double to left field. 

The Pirates scored their final run in the sixth when Kelsey Stroshine doubled home McMahon.