SPOKANE, Wash. – Austin Ewing threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns, Evan Liggett hauled in two touchdowns on 120 yards, and Whitworth handled Pacific 42-20 on Saturday in the Pine Bowl.
The Pirates (6-0 overall, 4-0 NWC) beat Pacific for the seventh time in the last eight meetings and are 6-0 for the first time since 2018 (which was the last time the Pirates won the NWC).
Whitworth came out firing once again as they scored touchdowns on five of their seven first half possessions on their way to a 35-7 halftime lead. The Pirates have outscored conference opponents 143-34 in the first half this season.
Ewing found Ligget for touchdowns of 12 and 44 yards in the first quarter, Salgado finished off Whitworth's fourth drive with a six-yard score on 3rd and goal for his eighth score of the season. Then Ewing got back to work finding Dillon Kuk on a 40-yard bomb down the left sideline and Taylor Wells on a 5-yard score (the first career touchdown for Wells).
If not for a Solo Hines redzone fumble and a missed field goal late, the Pirates might have scored 40 points in the first half for the second straight week. The Pirates racked up 420 of their 568 total yards in the first half.
Ryan Blair took over at quarterback early in the second half for the Pirates and scored on a 1-yard sneak to put Whitworth ahead 42-7 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.
The Boxers (1-5 overall, 1-3 NWC) managed to put a couple drives together in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pirates 13-0 in the final frame. Braeden Titus came in for Pacific at quarterback and finished with 164 yards and two touchdowns; finding Isaiah Petri for a 32-yard touchdown and Alejandro De Leon for a 9-yard score to cut the Pirates lead to 42-20.
Daniel McKiernan came up with two interceptions in the second half to stall any potential comeback, the junior now has six interceptions on the year to lead the Northwest conference.
Whitworth will be on the road against Lewis & Clark next Saturday seeking to stay unbeaten. Pacific will face another tough road test as they travel to unbeaten Linfield.
