by Kelsey Segren, Sports Information Assistant

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Whitworth softball team split the closing two games of its Northwest Conference opening series against host Lewis & Clark with huge performances at the plate from Heather Menzer and Maddy Thomas on Sunday at Huston Field.  

Menzer tied the Whitworth single-game individual RBI record (6) in the 8-0 game one shutout. The freshman has recorded a conference leading 20 RBIs on the year. She finished the day 6-8 with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs.

Thomas went 7-8 on the day with four doubles, two RBIs and five runs scored.

With Sunday's split, Lewis & Clark (3-7, 3-5 NWC) earns the series win after taking two games on Saturday over the Pirates (5-9, 1-3 NWC).

Game 1 – Whitworth 8, Lewis & Clark 0

Menzer finished 3-4 with two home runs and six RBIs to lead Whitworth to a dominant win in Sunday's opener. Thomas finished 3-4 with two doubles and three runs scored. The pair had six of the Pirates 10 hits.

Whitworth took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after Menzer hit a two-RBI single down the left field line. Menzer's three-run homer in the top of the third brought home Thomas and Logan Miller for the 5-0 Pirate advantage.

Delayna Waite added two more Pirate runs in the top of the fifth with a double. Menzer kept her big day going with a solo homer to center for her sixth RBI and second home run of the game to secure the 8-0 victory and snap a three-game losing streak.

Drea Schwaier-Wolf (4-3) pitched a shutout, allowing six hits and striking out four Pioneers.

Alyssa Abe (0-3) took the loss, getting the start for the Pioneers and giving up four runs in 2.1 innings of work.

Game 2 – Lewis & Clark 12, Whitworth 9

Whitworth fell in a game two slugfest that saw a combined 34 hits.

The Pirates scored the first three runs in the top of the first. Kaylie Lowery and Miller hit back-to-back singles to get on base. Sara Gayer drove in Lowery with a double to center field and Thomas singled in the next two.

Lewis & Clark cut Whitworth's lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the first. Kai Pinera's double scored Lisa Kumasaka and Pinera crossed the plate after a single by Olivia Brackin.

The Pioneers then took the lead with a five-run third inning boosted by a three-RBI home run from Frankie Warden. A sacrifice fly from Kalea Kaui brought the Pioneers' lead to 7-3. Rose Meshell, who had relieved Melanie Laronde in the circle after Warden's homer, shut down the inning after forcing another two Pioneer flyouts.

The Pioneers extended their lead to 9-3 in the bottom of the fourth.

Whitworth put up three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the ballgame at 9-9. Menzer hit doubles in both innings to drive in three runs and reach nine RBIs on the day. Brynn Radke, Waite and Gayer hit in the other three runs.

Lewis & Clark quickly got those runs back in the bottom of the sixth, after an RBI-double from Warden and a two-run homer from Abe. Warden drove in four runs on the game.

Abe (1-4) got the win in the circle after the Pioneers pulled back ahead in the sixth. She threw the closing 1.1 innings. Meshell (1-4) took the loss, allowing six runs on 10 hits over four innings.

Gayer went 4-4 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored. Thomas also finished 4-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Menzer batted 3-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored. Lowery also had a three-hit game.

Up next: Whitworth hosts Pacific (Ore.) in its home opener next weekend.