by Kelsey Segren, Sports Information Assistant

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Whitworth hit three homeruns in the second game of a non-conference softball doubleheader against host Pomona-Pitzer to earn the series split on Saturday.  

Whitworth (2-2) dominated offensively with 16 hits in the second game to earn the series split with Pomona-Pitzer (2-1). Heather Menzer and Logan Miller both hit their first career homeruns.  

Game 1 - Pomona-Pitzer 6, Whitworth 5 (9 innings)

Pomona-Pitzer came from behind to tie the game twice before winning in walk-off fashion. Maria Smith drove in the go-ahead run for the Pirates in the top half of the ninth, but the Sagehens responded by loading the bases and Karina Falkstrom drove in the winning run.

Drea Schwaier-Wolf took the loss in the circle, allowing six runs on 13 hits in 8.1 innings. She struck out eight batters, tying her career high.

Maddy Thomas picked up where she left off yesterday, giving the Pirates the early lead in the first inning with a two-RBI double to left center, scoring Brynn Radke and Sara Gayer. All three had reached base with two outs. The Sagehens got on the scoreboard in the bottom half on Katy Hurley's two-out RBI single.

Whitworth extended its lead to 3-1 in the fourth as Menzer drove in Thomas with a single to center field. The Sagehens tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Paige Blackwell and Taylor Lehner each drove in a run.

The Pirates quickly took back the lead in the fifth as Miller scored on an error following Radke's single to bring the score to 4-3.

Lehner tied the game again with an RBI single to center in the bottom of the sixth.

Whitworth erased a Sagehens' leadoff double with a 6-3-5 double play in the bottom of the seventh. A Sagehen single followed by a flyout brought the game to extra innings.  

Smith knocked in the go-ahead run in the ninth with a double to deep right center. Menzer opened the inning with a double. She advanced to third on a bunt single by Delayna Waite and crossed home on Smith's double, while Waite was thrown out at home. The Sagehens loaded the bases in the bottom half, and Falkstrom hit a two-RBI single for the walk-off.

Game 2 – Whitworth 12, Pomona-Pitzer 4 (6 innings)

The Pirates finished with 16 hits, including homeruns from Menzer, Miller and Gayer in the dominant game two win. Miller finished 3-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Gayer and Natalie Edlin finished with three RBIs apiece.

Whitworth jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the four-hit first inning. Kaylie Lowery got the offense going with a leadoff triple. Lowery scored on Gayer's single to short center and Miller scored on a throwing error by the shortstop. Edlin drove in Gayer and Thomas with a single in her first at-bat of the season.

Blackwell, who pitched all nine innings in game one for the Sagehens, replaced Alondra Reynoso after two outs in the first.

Kylie Harris relieved Rose Meshell after Pomona-Pitzer loaded the bases in the second. The Sagehens cut the Pirates' lead in half, scoring two runs on a right field error.

Menzer hit her first career homerun in the third, a two-run blast to left center for the 6-2 Pirate lead. Julia Carreon then came in to relieve Blackwell in the circle. The Sagehens loaded the bases in the bottom half, after a walk and back-to-back singles. Carreon's two-RBI single cut the Pirates' lead to 6-4.

The Pirates had a big fourth inning, scoring five runs including two-run homers from both Miller and Gayer. Lowery and Radke were driven in on the homeruns after reaching base on doubles. Whitworth forced another Sagehen pitching change after Gayer's homerun. Edlin closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly for her third RBI of the game, as the Pirates extended their lead to 11-4.

Makenzie Sherrill added on another run in the sixth for the Pirates with an RBI single.

Harris was credited with the win for the Bucs after allowing two runs on three hits in 4.1 innings.

Up next: Whitworth closes the California road trip with two games against Chapman on Sunday.