PORTLAND, Ore. – Whitworth closed out its four-game trip to Oregon with a non-conference 4-2  loss to Lewis & Clark College on Monday afternoon at Huston Field.

After beginning the season with a school-record 11-0 start, the Pirates fell to 12-3 after dropping three of the four games on this trip.

Two errors led to a pair of unearned runs for the Pioneers (8-9) in the first inning.  The errors and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out.  Connor Eggleston drove in the first run with a fielder's choice and Tommy Massari's ground ball to short stop scored the second run.

The Pirates got a run back in the top of the fifth when Jacob Yamane doubled with one out and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Sean Shepherd's RBI single increased L&C's lead back to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth. 

Whitworth got back within a run when JT Phelan doubled home Jeremy Druffel, who had reach on an error, with one out in the top of the sixth.

Ben Beck's RBI double in the bottom of the seventh gave the Pioneers a final insurance run heading to the last two innings.

Whitworth was only able to muster three hits against L&C pitching.  Aaron Landecker (1-2) started on the hill for the Pioneers and earned the win by allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits over seven innings.  Drake Gilliland threw two scoreless innings to earn his fourth save of the season.

Tim Bever (1-1) pitched well for Whitworth but still was credited with the loss.  He allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits over 6.1 innings. 

Druffel saw his 27-game hitting streak, which spanned the last 13 games of last season and the first 14 games of 2016, come to an end.

Whitworth will return home to host defending NWC champion Pacific Lutheran in a three-game series next weekend.