SALEM, Ore. - Whitworth bounced back from an extra-inning loss in the series opener to clinch at least a share of the NWC regular season title with a commanding win over Willamette in the nightcap on Saturday at John Lewis Field. Willamette claimed an 8-7 walk-off win in 10 innings during the opener before Whitworth took game two, 7-2.
No. 10 Whitworth (24-8, 16-7 Northwest Conference) leads second-place Pacific Lutheran (15-8 NWC) by a game in the standings and each team has one conference game remaining. Willamette (18-17, 11-12 NWC) was eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday.
The Pirates and Bearcats conclude the series with a single game at noon on Sunday. A Whitworth win or Pacific Lutheran loss on Sunday will clinch an outright NWC regular season title for the Pirates, but regardless of the outcomes Whitworth will host the NWC Tournament at Merkel Field next weekend.
In the event that Whitworth and PLU tie atop the standings at the end of the regular season, the Pirates hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over PLU for conference tournament seeding purposes. The top seed hosts the NWC Tournament. George Fox, who owns a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Pirates, entered the day tied with the Lutes for second place but split its doubleheader with Linfield and can no longer contend for the regular season title.
Game 1: Willamette 8, Whitworth 7 (10 Innings)
The Pirates rallied from a deficit to take the lead twice but Willamette bounced back each time and eventually claimed the win with a walk-off base hit in the bottom of the 10th inning.
The Bearcats struck first with three runs in the third inning, highlighted by a two-out, two-RBI double from Gordie Clary. A leadoff double by Perry Van Eckhardt led to a run when Connor Bailey singled him home with one out. Later in the inning, Clary delivered a double to plate two runs. He was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple but both runs crossed the plate before he was tagged out for the 3-0 lead.
Whitworth battled back to take a 4-3 lead, scoring one run in the fourth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh. Jordan McGowan extended his hit streak to 10 games with an RBI single in the fourth to score Jeremy Druffel, who had doubled with one out.
The Pirates produced five hits in the sixth inning, including four consecutive singles with two outs. Daniel Casanova led off with a double and scored when Matthew Nelson produced a sacrifice fly. A second run scored when Joel Condreay gave Whitworth its third consecutive two-out single. Condreay's hit followed singles by McGowan and JT Phelan, and scored McGowan.
In the seventh, Garrett Hughes crushed a solo home run to left field, his third of the season, for a 4-3 lead before the Bearcats responded with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Willamette only totaled one hit in the eighth inning but took advantage of three walks and a hit by pitch to score three times. A bases-loaded walk tied the game before Ty Wyatt connected for a two-RBI double with one out and the bases loaded. A lineout and a groundout halted the threat without further damage.
Whitworth responded to grab a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth via four hits. Three consecutive singles to start the frame by Hughes, Casanova and Druffel plated one run. A one-out single by McGowan that bounced off the pitcher and toward right field brought home a second run. Druffel scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly from Phelan, sliding in safely just ahead of the tag.
The Bearcats rallied yet again to pull even in the bottom of the ninth when Van Eckhardt raced home on a squeeze bunt by Kyle Paguio with one out. Van Eckahrdt had led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and stole second before advancing to third on a single.
Willamette won the game in walk-off fashion after Jack Brett reached second on a dropped fly ball with two outs. Aaron Mell pinch ran for Brett, scoring the winning run on a base hit by pinch-hitter Jake Bradley.
McGowan went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored as six Pirates recorded at least two hits.
Hugh Smith started and took a no decision, allowing four earned runs on seven hits over seven innings pitched. He struck out four and walked one. Arory Milyard, JD Page and Connor Sand (1-1) combined in the relief effort. Sand took the tough-luck loss, allowing an unearned run in the final frame.
Game 2: Whitworth 7, Willamette 2
Ryan Kingma improved to 7-2 with eight strong innings and Whitworth grabbed an early lead before pulling away with late insurance runs to clinch at least a share of the NWC regular season title.
The Pirates plated an unearned run in the first inning after Casanova reached via a throwing error to begin the game and later scored with a groundout by McGowan. The lead was built to 3-0 in the third inning when Nelson belted a two-run home run to left-center field, his seventh of the season.
Willamette cut into the lead with a run in the fifth inning as Bradley led off with a walk and later scored via a sacrifice fly by Bailey. But Whitworth responded with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh for a 6-1 lead.
In the sixth, Druffel scored Casey Isa with a two-out double down the left-field line after Isa had singled with one out and advanced into scoring position via a groundout. Four hits in the seventh led to two more runs, highlighted by RBI singles from Nate Lamberty and Isa.
Condreay extended the lead to 7-1 in the top of the ninth with a one-out solo home run, his second of the season. Eric Del Prado welcomed Nelson to the game, who moved from first base to the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning, with a solo home run. But a fly out followed by a game-ending double play halted any chance of a rally.
Kingma allowed only three hits and one earned run over eight innings pitched. He struck out one and walked two, retiring the last 11 batters he faced during his outing.
Jett Gallagher (1-6) started and allowed four runs (three earned) over 5 ⅓ innings for Willamette.
Isa finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead four Pirates who finished with at least two hits.
