NEWBERG, Ore. – Whitworth University will head into the 2022 Northwest Conference softball tournament on a four-game losing skid after George Fox University swept the Pirates in an NWC series on Friday and Saturday.
The Bruins (30-10 overall, 22-6 NWC) won Saturday's first game 10-4 and took the second contest 5-4. The Pirates (25-15, 15-13) were in this position last season, going into the 2021 NWC tournament as the #4 seed, but advanced to the championship game.
The Bucs will take on top-seeded Linfield University in the first round of the NWC tournament next weekend in McMinnville.
Game 1 – George Fox 10, Whitworth 4
The Bruins broke open a close game by scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and took advantage of four home runs to win Saturday's first game.
After Haley Montoya gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the third, George Fox took a lead it would not relinquish when Sydney Sandifer answered with a grand slam in the bottom of the third.
Kelly Hruza's RBI single pulled Whitworth within 4-2 in the top of the fifth, but Sandifer hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 5-2.
Maddy Thomas and Heather Menzer hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Pirates within a single run. It was the tenth home run of the season for Thomas.
George Fox put the game away with its five run rally in the bottom of the sixth. Claire Fountain had a three-run home run and Sharon Tomei followed with a solo shot during the rally.
Corinne Vasiloff (14-12) went all six innings in the circle for Whitworth, allowing ten runs (eight earned) on 10 hits.
Ashley Davis (19-4) pitched a complete game for the Bruins, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts.
Game 2 – George Fox 5, Whitworth 4
The Pirates rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game in the sixth inning, but the Bruins scored in the bottom of the seventh to complete the series sweep.
After George Fox scratched out a run in the first, Katie Ladd hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the second to give GFU a 4-0 lead. But then Momi Lyman settled down in the circle and didn't allow another run until the seventh.
Thomas drew a bases-loaded walk in the third to drive in the first Pirate run. Whitworth did not score again until the Bucs tied the game in the sixth. Jazz Johnson singled in the first run, and Johnson scored when Taylor Hofheins reached on an error by the shortstop. Mattea Nelson's RBI double drove in Hofheins to tie the game.
In the bottom of the seventh Emma Classen reached third base with one out. Kamryn Potter sent her home with a sacrifice fly.
Lyman (11-3) allowed five runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings of work.
Elise Wilkinson started for George Fox and gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits in 5.1 innings. But Davis (20-4) won in relief after allowing one run on one hit in 1.2 innings of work.
