NEWBERG, Ore. - The 11-game winning streak for Whitworth came to a halt Saturday as the visiting Pirates were topped twice by George Fox during a Northwest Conference doubleheader at Morse Athletic Field. The Bruins won the opener, 6-3, before edging the Pirates during the nightcap, 5-4.
No. 14 Whitworth (11-2, 3-2 NWC) put together 11 consecutive wins to begin the season, a streak that stands as the best start to a season in program history.
Jeremy Druffel went 5 for 9 with two runs scored against the Bruins on Saturday, extending his hitting streak to 26 games. Matthew Nelson belted a three-run home run to help lead Whitworth offensively against George Fox (9-6, 6-2 NWC).
The Pirates and Bruins face off in the series finale at noon on Sunday.
Game 1: George Fox 6, Whitworth 3
The Bruins scored five times in the first inning and added a run in the second inning before holding off a late Whitworth rally to earn the win in the opener.
Four of the first five George Fox batters to the plate singled off Whitworth starter Kelly Fitzpatrick during the first inning to set the offense in motion. Back-to-back infield singles hit to shortstop began the inning before Riley McKean put George Fox on the scoreboard with a one-out RBI single. A third infield single in the inning from Jacob Woehler, combined with a throwing error, plated a second run before consecutive walks pushed the George Fox advantage to 3-0.
A bases loaded fielder's choice brought home a fourth run before Kadyn Nannini delivered a two-out RBI double for a 5-0 lead. In all, the Bruins sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning.
Andrew Reichenbach led off the bottom of the second inning with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Woehler for the 6-0 lead.
George Fox starter Dustin Wells held the Pirates in check early, retiring 12 Pirate batters in a row following a one-out single by Druffel in the first inning.
The Pirates found success off Wells during the sixth inning, stringing together three consecutive hits and erasing the shutout. Druffel and Nelson connected for one-out singles before JT Phelan scored Druffel with a base hit to bring Whitworth within 6-1.
Wells settled back in and faced the minimum over the seventh and eighth innings before a ninth-inning rally finally concluded his outing after 8 ⅓ innings pitched. Whitworth loaded the bases with one out in the ninth as three of the first four Pirates to the plate reached safely via two hits and a walk. Ryan Bird then walked with the bases loaded to plate a run and end Wells' outing.
Whitworth came within 6-3 when Garrett Hughes hit a sacrifice fly off reliever Zachery Muenster, and then brought the go-ahead run to the plate when Skyler Lookabill singled to the load the bases. But Muenster induced a groundout from Druffel to conclude the game.
Hugh Smith, who entered the game in the second inning, shut down the George Fox bats following the early outburst. He tossed seven scoreless innings, scattering four hits while not allowing a walk and striking out three. Fitzpatrick took the loss and fell to 1-1.
Wells (4-1) allowed three earned runs on eight hits over 8 ⅓ innings before Muenster recorded his second save of the season.
Game 2: George Fox 5, Whitworth 4
Whitworth overcame an early deficit when Nelson belted a three-run home run in the sixth inning for the lead before the Bruins rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning and score the go-ahead run during the eighth inning.
The George Fox offense once again produced early in the contest, plating a run in the first inning and adding two more in the second inning.
Brandon Wileman delivered a two-out RBI single for the Bruins in the first inning after two batters were hit by pitches and a single had helped put a runner in scoring position.
Kyle Esquerra led off the bottom of the second inning with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring via a groundout for a 2-0 George Fox lead. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly from Reichenbach with the bases loaded upped the lead to 3-0.
Phelan connected for his first home run of the season to lead off the fifth inning for Whitworth before Nelson gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead with a three-run home run, his third of the year, during the sixth. Hughes and Druffel had each singled to set the stage for Nelson.
The Bruins responded to tie the game at 4-4 in the seventh, opening the inning with consecutive singles. A sacrifice bunt and intentional walk loaded the bases for Esquerra, who delivered a sacrifice fly before the Pirates could escape the inning.
Nannini sparked the Bruin offense in the eighth inning, reaching via a drag bunt. He later scored the go-ahead run when Reichenbach doubled with two outs.
Sam Morland, who entered the game in the eighth, retired the Pirates in order during the ninth to pick up the win and improve to 4-0.
T.J. Orchard started for the Pirates, throwing six innings and allowed four earned runs. He recorded two strikeouts and walked none. JD Page (0-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing one run during two innings of relief work.
