PASCO, Wash. – Whitworth split with hot-hitting Lewis & Clark in a Northwest Conference baseball double on Saturday at Columbia Basin College. The Pirates won the opener 7-5, but were unable to keep the Pioneers' bats at bay during a 12-3 loss in the second game.
The games were played at the CBC baseball complex because Whitworth's Merkel Field was unplayable due to snowy conditions.
Whitworth (4-9, 1-1 NWC) and L&C (11-3, 3-2 NWC) will finish the series with a single game rubber match on Sunday afternoon at CBC.
Game 1: Whitworth 7, Lewis & Clark 5
After a first inning solo home run by Lewis & Clarks' Jack Thomson, the Pirates responded in the bottom of the first with two runs of their own after a sacrifice fly from Aidan Morrison and Elijah Tanner scored from second base on a wild pitch.
It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth when two early inning walks set up Pirates' Austin Paul for a two RBI single, extending Whitworth's lead to 4-1.
The Pioneers' offense threatened in the later innings, starting in the sixth when they retaliated with a one run RBI single from Luke Bass. Jacob Serafini's two run home run in the seventh brought the Pioneers even with Pirates 4-4. The Pirates regained the lead 5-4 in the bottom half of the seventh with an RBI single from Hunter Dryden.
L&C tied the game up once again in the eighth 5-5, before the Pirates were able to push two more across in the bottom half with an Aidan Morrison RBI double and a Henry Zaske RBI single, leading to the final score of 7-5.
Hunter Williams threw six strong innings, allowing two runs on three hits and tallying five strikeouts as the starter. Riley Whelan (1-0) came in as relief, allowing three runs on four hits through three innings.
Tyler Shimabukuro (1-1) took the loss in relief for L&C.
Elijah Tanner finished the game 2-4 and scored twice for the Pirates.
Game 2: Lewis & Clark 12, Whitworth 3
The Pioneers' combination of explosive offense and quality pitching allowed them to grab the second game of the double header, despite Whitworth's early offensive effort.
Whitworth was able to score three early runs in the first and second innings, highlighted by a Henry Zaske RBI single and a two RBI double from Dawson Warner.
It was a big six-run inning in the top of the third that gave the Pioneers a 6-3 lead. Jacob Serafini got the rally started with a two-RBI double down the right field line, followed by a bases loaded walk for Luke Bass, and an RBI single for Will Heron.
L&C went on to tack on four more in the fifth, and an additional two in the sixth, making the final score 12-3. Jack Thomson hit his second homer of the day in the sixth.
Luke Ritter (2-0) started on the mound for the Pioneers and scattered five hits while allowing three runs in five innings. Kevin Kane & Kris Wuelfing worked in relief, each throwing two innings and allowing just one hit apiece.
Dylan Bishop (1-2) took his second loss of the season after allowing six runs on five hits through four innings. Hunter Andrews threw three scoreless innings and allowed two hits as the third of three relievers.
Zaske lead the Bucs at the plate going 3-5 with an RBI.
