By: Katelyn McLean
Student Writer

SPOKANE, Wash.—Visiting Linfield took the first game of Sunday's Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader 8-6, but Whitworth rallied back to win the nightcap 5-3 at Merkel Field.

The Pirates are now 5-10 overall, 4-4 in the NWC after taking three of four games in the series, while Linfield is 4-14, 2-8.

Whitworth hits the road next week to play league-leading Pacific (14-6, 9-3) April 2-3 with a pair of doubleheaders each day.

Game One: Linfield 8, Whitworth 6
Jackson Horner's two hits and two runs-batted-in propelled Linfield over Whitworth in a back-and-forth first game.

Linfield put up three runs in the second inning on a Horner single that scored Wyatt Smith and Tanner Jaques. Ryan Kamp then scored on a sacrifice fly from Reid Sturn.

The Pirates answered in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run from Aidan Morrison and a two-run home run from Jaxen Sweum to go ahead 4-3.

Linfield took the lead back after loading the bases in the fifth inning. Sturn scored on Tanner Earhart's fielder's choice and Moen scored on a sacrifice fly by Jaques.

Whitworth tied the score in the sixth inning with a single from Jacob Doughty that drove in Gage Gibson.

The Wildcats retook the lead in the seventh inning when Lavigne singled and then advanced to second and third on a throwing error that scored Sturn. Earhardt singled and scored Lavigne to put Linfield up 7-5.

The Pirates got within one in the seventh on a single from Joe Howell that scored Tim Gee.

Linfield sealed the victory in the ninth inning with a single from Kamp that scored Jaques to win 8-6.

Dylan Owen (0-1) allowed two runs on three hits in three innings of relief and was the Pirates' pitcher of record.

Skyler Manelski (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Linfield out of the bullpen, giving up two hits and one run in two innings. Sam Adams got his first save with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Game Two: Whitworth 5, Linfield 3
Landon Shigeta and Evan Norden kept the Linfield bats in check and led the Pirates over the Wildcats in the series finale. 

Linfield took the lead in the top of the first with a single from Levi Horner-Villa that scored Sturn.

Whitworth answered with a sacrifice fly from Grayson O'Neil that scored Dawson Warner to tie the score in the bottom of the first.

The Pirates took the lead in the third inning with a single from Jaxen Sweum that scored Joe Howell. O'Neil advanced to third and Luke Bruno advanced to second on the single, and then scored on a Linfield throwing error to give Whitworth a 4-1 advantage.

Linfield challenged the Pirates' lead in the fifth inning, when Earhart and Smith scored on a Whitworth infield error, to pull within 4-3.

Whitworth tallied the final run in the fifth inning when Aidan Morrison walked with the bases loaded to score Sweum.

Landon Shigeta (1-1) got the win after giving up seven hits and three runs in 4.2 innings. Norden followed and allowed only one hit and zero runs in 2.1 innings to earn his first save.

Evan Bates (1-2) was the losing pitcher in relief for Linfield, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in two innings.