By: Katelyn McLean
Student Writer

WALLA-WALLA, Wash. - Whitworth took the early game of a Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader 10-7 at Whitman on Sunday, but the Blues rallied to win the nightcap 4-3 to claim the four-game series 3-1.

Whitman improved to 9-7 overall and 6-2 in the NWC while the Pirates dropped to 2-9 overall, 1-3 in the NWC.  The Pirates will host Linfield in another NWC series next weekend for Whitworth's first home games of 2021.

Game one—Whitworth 10, Whitman 7
Aidan Morrison's three hits and two runs batted in propelled the Pirates' offense over Whitman in game one.

Whitworth got four runs in the first inning. First baseman Brendan Duncan singled, then advanced to second on a throwing error that scored Joe Howell. Right-fielder Jaxen Sweum had an RBI single. A wild pitch scored Grayson O'Neil, and Jaxen Sweum scored to complete the rally.

The Blues scored in the first as well on an RBI single by Garrett Runyan to narrow Whitworth's lead 4-1.

The Pirates added four more runs in the third beginning with Ethan Schulte scoring on a Whitman throwing error. Morrison recorded his first RBI of the game with a single, then scored on a wild pitch. Duncan added his second RBI of the game for an 8-1 lead.

Whitman's Ben Parker advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the third.

Morrison and Dawson Warner both recorded RBI singles in the fourth inning, extending the Pirates' lead to 10-2.

The Blues rallied back late in the game, with Brett Williams drawing a bases-loaded walk. Ben Parker was then hit by a pitch to cut the margin to 10-4.

Ethan Sitzman recorded an RBI single in the seventh inning for Whitman, and a two-run Kevin Nakamura home run in the eighth inning brought the Blues to within three runs of the Pirates, but they still fell short 10-7.

Josh Grimes (2-0) was the winning pitcher for Whitworth.  He allowed two runs on four hits in five innings.

The losing pitcher for the Blues was Julien Hernandez, who gave up 13 hits and all 10 runs in three innings.

Game two—Whitman 4, Whitworth 3
Whitworth's three-run fourth inning established an early lead, but Whitman scored two in the bottom of the fifth to pull out the win.

The Blues took the lead in the second inning when Ethan Sitzman was thrown out at second, but Leo Rivera scored on the play.

Whitworth scored all of its runs in the top of the third. Duncan scored on a passed ball to even the score at 1-1, and Caleb Morton followed with an RBI single. Gage Gibson added a sacrifice fly that scored Jarred Yara for a 3-1 lead.

Sitzman scored on a wild pitch in the fourth inning to cut into Whitworth's lead, and topped the Pirates 4-3 in the fifth on an RBI single and an RBI double by Nakamura.

The winning pitcher for Whitman was Travis Craven (2-3) who allowed only one hit in three innings of relief. Evan Norden (0-2) was the losing pitcher in relief for the Pirates.