By: Katelyn McLean
Student Writer

NEWBERG, Ore.--Whitworth jumped out to a big lead to win the opener, then rallied from three runs down to sweep a Northwest Conference doubleheader at George Fox on Saturday. The Pirates won 17-11 and 4-3 behind an offense led by Jaxen Sweum and Ryan Gross and a complete game pitching from Dylan Bishop.

The two teams meet in another NWC doubleheader tomorrow at noon and 3pm, where Whitworth (8-17 overall, 7-11) aims to sweep the series from the Bruins (14-11, 9-8) and get back into the hunt for a conference tournament berth.

Game One: Whitworth 17, George Fox 11
Jaxen Sweum's three hits and five runs-batted-in and Ryan Gross' two hits and three RBI propelled the Pirates over the Bruins in a high-scoring game one.

Both teams had an explosive first inning. Whitworth scored eight of its seventeen runs in the first after a three-run home run from Sweum put the Pirates up 3-0. Brendan Duncan followed with a solo home run. Later in the inning, Gross doubled to score Luke Bruno, then scored on an error. Sweum singled up the middle to score two runs to put the Pirates up 8-0.

The Bruins answered with six runs in the bottom of the first. Chase Fetzer hit a three-run-home run to chip away at Whitworth's lead. Matthew Sebolsky singled to right field to score another run, and Jared Gee and Leon Johnson III both hit RBI singles to pull GFU within two.

Whitworth added to its total in the fourth with a solo home run from Luke Bruno and an inside-the-park home run from Gage Gibson after Gee was injured trying to make the play in center field. Gee remained in the game for George Fox. David Bedell scored on an error to total 11 runs for the Pirates.

Joe Howell hit an RBI single in the fifth inning to increase Whitworth's lead to 12-6.

The Bruins answered in the bottom of the fifth with a Brandon King two-run home run, making the score 12-8.

Gross singled in the sixth inning to score two runs, then he and Brendan Duncan scored on an error. Howell singled up the middle to score Bedell to put the Pirates up 17-8.

George Fox rallied in the eighth inning when Jared Whitaker tripled with the bases loaded.  But those were the final runs of the game.

Brett Thomas (2-3) was the winning pitcher for Whitworth, giving up only three hits and two runs in 3.1 innings in relief of Josh Grimes.  Campbell Magrane threw the final 1.2 innings, but the lead was too large to earn a save.

Christopher Stone (3-1) was the losing pitcher after giving up eight hits and ten runs in 3.1 innings pitched.

Game two: Whitworth 4, George Fox 3
Dylan Bishop pitched the first complete game of the season by any Pirate pitcher, allowing only five hits and holding the Bruin offense to only three runs as the Pirates topped the Bruins in low-scoring nightcap.

George Fox scored all three of their runs in the first when a Fetzer double scored two runs. Mason Arnold singled to score another run to put the Bruins up 3-0.

Whitworth got on the board in the fifth inning when Sweum scored on an error and Gibson singled to score Jarred Yara.

Luke Bruno hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to tie the game 3-3.

Aidan Morrison singled in the top of the seventh to score Howell for the winning run after Howell singled with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch.

Bishop (2-2) allowed only five hits, and after allowing three runs on three hits in the first inning, allowed only two more hits after that. Bishop didn't allow a hit after the fourth inning. He also recorded eight strikeouts.

Austin Hallman (0-1) was the losing pitcher, giving up two hits and the winning run in one inning of relief.