PORTLAND, Ore. – Scoring ten runs in each game, visiting Whitworth swept Lewis & Clark College in a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

The Pirates won the opener 10-7, then claimed the nightcap 10-2 in six innings to improve to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the NWC.  The Pioneers fell to 5-5, 0-2.

Shannon Wessel went 4-4 with a home run in the opener, while Kelsey Downey hit her first home run of the season in the nightcap to lead the Whitworth effort.

The teams will conclude the series with another doubleheader on Sunday beginning at noon.

Game 1 – Whitworth 10, Lewis & Clark 7
The Pirates rallied from a 6-2 deficit by scoring eight runs over the final three innings.

The Pioneers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning.  Whitworth answered with a run in the top of the second, but L&C added two more in the bottom of the third.  Ateisha Norton's double drove in two in the first and Ashley Bolick's RBI single capped the third inning rally.

After Whitworth pulled within 4-2 in the fourth on Morgan Portlock's RBI single, L&C added two more in the bottom of the frame for the 6-2 lead.  Brooke Koran and Janai Rojo had RBIs in the rally.

But that's when the Pirates' offense finally got going.  Whitworth tied the game in the top of the fifth by scoring four times.  Chelsey Hayes had a two-run double and Wessel followed with her home run, driving in Hayes.

The Bucs added two more in the sixth on an RBI single by Downey and an RBI infield single by Myranda Ramirez.  They increased the lead to 10-6 in the seventh, scoring two unearned runs.

Emily Drevdahal homered for L&C in the bottom of the seventh to pull the Pioneers within 10-7.  But that's as close as they would get.

Wessel finished 4-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.  Portlock also drove in two and finished 2-3.  Desi Graham was 2-4 with a run and an RBI.

Rojo and Koran were each 3-4 at the plate for L&C.

Ashley Trueblood earned the win in relief of Madi Perez.  Trueblood pitched 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits to improve to 1-0.  Jill Ponder allowed six runs on eight hits and dropped to 2-1 for L&C.

Game 2 – Whitworth 10, Lewis & Clark 2 (6 innings)
Makayla Lefever tossed her third consecutive complete-game victory and Whitworth jumped out to an early lead to sweep the doubleheader.

The Pirates scored three runs in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit.  A pair of walks and a sacrifice allowed Myranda Ramirez to score on a wild pitch.  After another walk, Ramirez scored on a sacrifice fly.  Then Shannon Wessel scored on a throwing error by the catcher.

Kelsey Downey's first home run of the season increased the lead to 4-0 in the second.  Chelsey Hayes followed with an RBI single later in the inning.  Alyssa Hall's RBI single in the third gave Whitworth a 6-0 lead.

The Pirates looked to close it out in the top of the fifth.  Desi Graham led off with a single and scored on Nikki Olson's ground ball.  Megan John then scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Bucs an 8-0 lead.

L&C staved off an early defeat in the bottom of the fifth when the Pioneers finally got to Lefever.  Zoe Juarez drove in two with an RBI single through the infield.

But Whitworth added two more in the top of the sixth to reclaim and eight-run lead and finished out L&C in the bottom of the inning.

Michelle Silva and Desi Graham had two hits each for the Bucs. 

Lefever allowed two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings to improve to 3-0 this season.  Sarah Reyes took the loss for L&C after allowing three runs on no hits in the first.  She walked four batters.