by Kelsey Segren, Sports Information Assistant

KERRVILLE, Texas – Heather Menzer hit 3-6 with four RBIs on the day to lead Whitworth in a series split against host Schreiner in Friday's non-conference softball doubleheader at Mountaineer Field.

Whitworth (3-3) opened the day with an 8-2 win, finishing with 10 hits and drawing seven walks before falling 8-4 in game two. Schreiner earned their second win of the season in game two, to move to an 8-2 record.

Game 1 – Whitworth 8, Schreiner 2

The Pirates scored six runs in the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie for the game one win. Drea Schwaier-Wolf pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out four.

Both Mountaineer runs came in the first inning. Mackenzie Oltmann brought in the first with a sacrifice fly followed by an RBI single from Courtney Bigley.

Sara Gayer got the Pirates on the scoreboard, driving in Brynn Radke with a single in the bottom of the fourth. Gayer tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth with another RBI single to bring home Kaylie Lowery.

Whitworth broke away in the seventh, scoring six runs on three hits. Menzer drove in two runs with a bases-loaded double to give the Pirates the 4-2 advantage. The Bucs added two more runs on back-to-back bases-loaded walks with two outs. Logan Miller kept the rally going with a two-RBI double to secure the 8-2 win.

Kylie Harris finished up the final frame for the Pirates. Kaylie Lowery and Gayer both finished 3-4 at the plate.

Kennedy Moody got the start in the circle for the Mountaineers. She allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits and five walks in 5.1 innings.

Game 2 – Schreiner 8, Whitworth 4

Schreiner earned the series split after the offense put up 15 hits in game two.  

Maddy Thomas and Menzer both recorded their second home runs of the season. Menzer went 2-3 with a double, a home run and two RBIs. Thomas finished 1-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored.  

Menzer opened the scoring with an RBI double in the top of the second, driving in Thomas for the early 1-0 Pirate lead.

Schreiner responded with five runs on six hits in the bottom half. Hannah Kollmansberge gave the Mountaineers the lead after a two-RBI home run. The next four scored with two outs.

Whitworth cut Schreiner's lead to 5-4 in the fourth on back-to-back home runs from Thomas and Menzer. Thomas drove in Radke who had reached on a leadoff walk before Menzer's solo shot.

The Mountaineers extended their lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth and added on the final two runs in the fifth.

Rose Meshell took the loss in the circle for the Pirates, allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits in two innings. Melanie Laronde threw four innings, allowing three runs on eight hits in her first collegiate appearance.

Up next: Whitworth takes on Texas Lutheran, the defending national champions, tomorrow with game one set for 11 a.m.