PARKLAND, Wash. – Whitworth University rallied from a 4-1 deficit for a 6-5 win in the second game and a sweep of a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader on Sunday at Pacific Lutheran.  The Pirates won the opener 8-0 in five innings.  The Bucs took three of four games in the series from the Lutes (14-15, 5-11).

Whitworth (20-5, 14-1 NWC) is one half game behind Linfield (22-4-1, 15-1) in the NWC standings.  The two schools will face each other in a four game series next weekend in McMinnville, Oregon.

Madelyn Carlson pitched eight innings of one-run softball over the two games, leading the Pirates to a win in the opener and then saving the nightcap.

Game 1 – Whitworth 8, PLU 0 (5 innings)
Carlson (8-4) tossed a five-inning one-hitter to dominate the Lutes and end a personal two-game losing skid.  She struck out five batters and walked three.

The Pirates scored in each of the first four innings, breaking out to a 5-0 lead with four runs in the second. 

Kinsey McNaught drove in four runs, including a two-run single during the second inning rally.  Rheanne Lewis had a pair of hits and scored twice.  Kaylie Lowery scored three times for the Bucs.

Kennedy Robillard (8-4) pitched the entire game for PLU and took the loss after allowing eight runs on nine hits in five innings.

Game 2 – Whitworth 6, PLU 5
Sara Gayer's two-run double capped Whitworth's three-run rally in the top of the fifth and capped the Pirates' comeback from an early 4-1 deficit.

Gayer's two out triple in the first gave Whitworth a 1-0 lead.  PLU tied the game in the second on Erin McGrath's home run.

The Lutes drove Pirate starting pitcher Drea Schwaier-Wolf from the game in the third by scoring three runs, capped by Samantha Simondson's two-run homer.

Whitworth got within 4-3 in the fourth on RBI singles from Michelle Silva and Morgan Portlock.  The Pirates took the lead in the fifth with their three-run rally.  Lewis singled in a run and scored with McNaught on Gayer's double.

Kylie Harris (1-0) relieved Schwaier-Wolf and held PLU scoreless for 1.1 innings.  Then Carlson finished up the final three frames and earned her first save.  She allowed one run, but no hits.

Gayer finished 2-3 with three RBIs.