WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitworth University ended a tough season on a high note with a 5-1 win at Whitman College in the finale of the Bud Knight Memorial Classic on Sunday afternoon at Borleske Stadium. The Pirates (10-28) dropped a 6-4 decision to Southern California power La Verne earlier on Saturday.
Game 1 – La Verne 6, Whitworth 4
The 19th-ranked Leopards (29-7-1) got out of a bases-loaded, one out situation in the bottom of the sixth with a double play to end a potential game-tying rally in the seven-inning contest on Saturday morning.
La Verne took a 1-0 lead in the first when Pirate starter Hunter Williams was called for a balk with the bases loaded. Whitworth tied the game in the bottom of the first when Aidan Morrison led off with a walk, moved to second on another walk, stole third and scored on a ground out by JJ Fahnlander.
The Leopards added an unearned run in the second. But Whitworth retied the game in the bottom of the fourth on Brendan Duncan's solo home run.
La Verne took advantage of another Pirate defensive miscue to score two runs on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded and only one out in the top of the fifth.
After Hunter Dryden led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, he scored on a single by Dawson Warner to pull the Pirates within 4-3.
Tanner Siffert's two-run double extended La Verne's lead to 6-3 in the sixth. Whitworth loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the sixth before Morrison drew a walk. That was the Bucs' final run because the Leopards made a pitching change and turned a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
Fahnlander singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Whitworth could not extend the rally.
Williams (1-3) made his first pitching start of the season after leading the Pirates in relief appearances. He allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out three batters. Ryan Whelan gave up two runs in two innings of relief.
Jaylon Fong (2-1) started for La Verne and gave up three runs on four hits in 4.1 innings. Four Leopards followed in relief and Alfredo Frey got the save after tossing the final 1.2 innings.
Game 2 – Whitworth 5, Whitman 1
Riley Cissne hit a two-run home run and Hunter Dryden threw six strong innings to lead the Pirates to a victory over the Blues in the season finale for both teams.
Cissne's second home run of the season in the top of the second inning gave Whitworth a 2-0 lead. The Blues got their only run when they executed a first-and-third double steal in the bottom of the second.
Jaxsen Sweum scored in the third when Gage Gibson beat out a potential double play with the bases loaded. Fahnlander scored on a passed ball later in the inning for a 4-1 lead.
Warner's RBI single in the fourth drove in Morrison for the final run.
That was enough for Dryden (4-4), who limited Whitman to one run on three hits in six innings. He struck out six batters. Austin Rice, Luke Bruno and Josh Grimes each threw an inning of scoreless relief, with Grimes getting his first career save.
Trevor Kalnins (0-2) suffered the loss for Whitman after he allowed two runs on one hit and a walk in 2.1 innings of work.
Whitworth evened its record with the Blues in 2022 at 2-2.
