REDLANDS, Calif. – Whitworth University ended a perfect trip to California by shutting down the high-powered Redlands Bulldogs in a non-conference doubleheader sweep on Sunday. The Pirates held a Redlands team that had scored 43 runs in its first five games to a single tally in the 4-1 and 3-0 victories.
Whitworth (10-2) finished the trip to California 6-0 and will open its Northwest Conference schedule at Pacific Lutheran next weekend. The Bulldogs (5-2) lost for the first time this season.
Game 1: Whitworth 4, Redlands 1
Rylee Gentner homered, Haley Montoya had a two-run double and Corrine Vasiloff went the distance in the circle to guide the Pirates in the game one win.
Whitworth scored first in the top of the third when Gentner drilled a solo home run to center field. The Bucs added three more runs in the fourth. After a pair of walks to lead off the inning, Gentner singled home pinch runner Shayla Shae for a 2-0 lead. Montoya followed with a bases-loaded double to right center field that drove in two more runs for a 4-0 lead.
Vasiloff worked out of trouble in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, leaving a total of nine runners on base without allowing a run. The biggest threat came in the bottom of the fifth when Redlands loaded the bases with no one out and Vasiloff induced a pop up to second base, a ground ball fielder's choice with the out at home and a pop up to third.
Redlands scored its only run in the sixth when Tyesen Gordon hit a solo home run.
Whitworth ended the game with a nifty double play. Jessica Rusconi made a running catch in right center and doubled off the Bulldog runner at second base for the final out.
Gentner and Montoya each finished 3-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs. Heather Menzer went 2-3.
Vasiloff (5-1) scattered 10 hits while giving up one run. She walked two batters in her sixth complete game of the season.
Danielle Stallings (3-1) started in the circle for Redlands and allowed one run on four hits in three innings to take the loss. Kassidy Long allowed three runs on six hits in three innings of relief.
Game 2: Whitworth 3, Redlands 0
Momi Lyman pitched the Pirates' first shutout of the season and lowered her 2022 ERA to 1.50 to give Whitworth the doubleheader sweep.
Lyman (5-1) was in control the entire way, scattering six hits in her sixth complete game of the season. She was strongest at the end of the game, retiring the final seven batters in a row.
Heather Menzer and Jazz Johnson each had RBI singles in Whitworth's two-run fourth inning.
Delayna Waite led off the top of the seventh with a double, just missing her first home run of the season. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Nelson.
Kaylyn Kershner (0-1) started in the circle for Redlands and took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits in four innings.
