By: Katelyn McLean

Student Writer

FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Visiting Whitworth dropped game one of Friday's Northwest Conference doubleheader 11-1 due to a six-run eighth inning from Pacific (Ore.), but rallied to win a high-scoring nightcap 11-9.

The Pirates are now 6-11 overall and 5-5 in conference play. Pacific University moves to 15-7 overall and 10-4 in NWC play.

Game One: Pacific 11, Whitworth 1 (8 innings)

Hits from six different Pacific players propelled the Boxers over the Pirates in eight innings due to the Northwest Conference's ten-run rule.

Pacific's start on offense came in the third inning on a two-run homer from Brad Altomare to put the Boxers up 2-0. Pacific added a run to its lead in the fourth inning when Ian Blair singled to left center, scoring Jordan Hara.

Whitworth scored its only run of the game in the fifth inning on a solo home run from Ryan Gross.

The Boxers continued their offensive productivity in the sixth inning, when Hara reached first base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a throwing error, scoring both Chase Anderson and Altomare.

Pacific poured it on in the eighth, scoring six runs to put themselves ahead 11-1. CJ Coyler singled to center field to score Blair and Kevin Crowell. Brandon Silowka scored on a wild pitch, before a three-run home run from Ryan Krout put the Boxers up by 10.

The losing pitcher for Whitworth was Dylan Bishop (1-2), who gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits in seven innings. Hunter Williams gave up six runs in 0.2 innings of relief.

The winning pitcher for Pacific was Will Clark (4-0), who gave up four hits and just one run in six innings.

Game Two: Whitworth 11, Pacific 9.

Jaxsen Sweum's five hits and four RBIs lifted the Pirates over the Boxers in the high-scoring nightcap.

Whitworth got off to a hot start offensively, scoring four runs in the first inning. Luke Bruno hit an infield single and advanced to second on an error. Dawson Warner and Aidan Morrison scored on the error to put the Pirates up 2-0. Sweum then singled to left center, scoring Bruno to put Whitworth up 3-0. The Pirates added one more run in the inning as Joe Howell singled in Sweum.  

Pacific responded in the bottom of the inning with a single from Hara that scored Anderson, chipping away at Whitworth's lead, 4-1.

Whitworth added two runs in the second inning with an infield single from Sweum that advanced Bruno and Warner, who both scored on an error by Pacific's catcher. The Boxers scored two runs in the bottom of the second after a two-RBI single by Krout to bring the score to 6-3.

Whitworth added three runs in the third, starting with a single from Morrison that scored Howell. Morrison then scored on a wild pitch, before Bruno's single to right center field put the Pirates up 9-3.

Altomare hit a two-RBI double in the fifth inning to narrow Pacific's deficit to 9-5. Chase Anderson singled to left field to score Altomare and bring the Boxers within three.

A single from Sweum in the seventh scored Warner. Brenden Duncan scored on a sacrifice fly from Jarred Yara to score the final run for Whitworth.

Pacific rallied in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run homer from Anderson to cut the Pirates' lead to 11-8. Silowka singled to bring the score to 11-9 before Josh Grimes struck out the final batter.

The losing pitcher for Pacific was Kahi Bisho (3-2), who gave up eight runs (two earned) on eight hits in 2.2 innings. Brett Thomas (1-2) was the winning pitcher for Whitworth, allowing six runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings.