FOREST GROVE, Ore. – T.J. Orchard threw seven strong innings while JT Phelan doubled twice and drove in three runs to lead visiting Whitworth to a 9-2 win at Pacific (Ore.) in the Northwest Conference baseball finale for both teams on Sunday afternoon.

The Pirates improved to 16-19 overall and 11-13 in the NWC while the Boxers fell to 15-22, 9-15.  The Bucs took two of the three games in the series.  Neither team will participate in the 2018 NWC tournament.

Whitworth will finish its season with a non-conference series at NAIA powerhouse Lewis-Clark State on May 5-6.

The Boxers took a 1-0 lead when Derek Legeza scored on Derek Ridgeway's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first.  Legeza doubled to open the inning.

The Pirates took the lead in the third and never lost it.  Phelan drove in the first two runs with a double down the left field line that scored Casey Isa and Brett Moser.  Tyler Bailey followed with an RBI single that plated Phelan.

Whitworth added three more in the sixth.  After Jarred Yara came home on a bases loaded ground out, Phelan followed with his second double of the game to score the second run of the frame.  Bailey added his second RBI with a sacrifice fly that drove in Joel Condreay.

The Bucs scored their final two runs in the eighth, thanks to a pair of Pacific throwing errors. 

The Boxers scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth.  Legeza scored for the second time on a sacrifice fly.

Orchard (2-3) allowed only one run on four hits over seven innings.  He struck out four and walked one.  Austin Rice finished up the final two frames and gave up one run on four hits.

Paul Wolfram took the loss for Pacific after giving up three runs on eight hits in five innings.  Four Boxers followed in relief.