CLAREMONT, Calif. – The 2020 Whitworth University baseball season opener looked a lot like 2019 as the Pirates defeated Pomona-Pitzer Colleges 3-1 on Friday afternoon.

Much like last season, when the Bucs finished 27-15 and won the Northwest Conference, Matthew Young provided a strong start on the mound, Brett Thomas threw three dominating innings of relief and Whitworth got key RBIs to earn the victory.

Young, a first team All-Northwest Conference honoree in 2019, went six innings and allowed only one run on four hits to earn his first win of 2020.  He struck out five and walked one.  Thomas, a second team All-NWC honoree last spring, did not allow a hit over the final three innings and struck out three with one walk to claim his first save.

Jaxsen Sweum got the Pirates on the board with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. 

After the Sagehens tied the game in the fifth with their own solo homer, Luke Bruno drove in the eventual game-winning run in the seventh with a double that scored Gage Gibson.  The Bucs added an insurance run in the eighth thanks to an outfield error.  After Sweum walked with two outs, Liam Fitzpatrick singled through the right side and the ball got past the right fielder, allowing Sweum to score all the way from first base.

Ben Wintringer went 3 for 5 to lead the Pirates at the plate.

Whitworth and Pomona-Pitzer will complete the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 11:00 am.