SALEM, Ore. – Whitworth stuck around an extra day to complete a Northwest Conference softball series at Willamette on Monday, and it paid off as the Pirates completed a four-game sweep of the Bearcats following a rainout of Sunday's doubleheader.
Haley Montoya had five hits on the day as Whitworth won the opener 7-1, then held off a 7th-inning rally to take the finale 6-4. The Pirates improved to 18-10 overall and 10-6 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 13-17, 8-12.
The Pirates will host Lewis & Clark in a four-game series at Diana Marks Field on Friday and Saturday.
Game 1 – Whitworth 7, Willamette 1
The Pirates built a 6-0 lead in the third inning and cruised to the win in the first game.
Whitworth scored the first three runs on Sunday before the game was postponed with two outs in the first inning. Jazz Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run and Julia Dillon scored the second run on Kelly Hruza's fielder's choice. Kennedy Robison singled in the final run.
The Bucs wasted little time getting things started this morning, scoring in the top of the second on Mattea Nelson's RBI double. Nelson scored later in the inning on Heather Menzer's fielder's choice when Dillon beat the throw to second.
Jenna Radke scored an unearned run in the third when Nelson reached first on a fielding error. Nelson then homered in the fifth for a 7-0 lead. It was her first of the season.
Willamette scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth when Alexandra Richards scored as Whitworth turned a ground ball double play.
Momi Lyman (6-5) threw a six-hit complete game over the course of two days. She walked five and struck out three batters.
Abigail Loomis (4-3) started on Sunday, was relieved, then returned on Monday to finish the game. She got the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in 6.2 innings. She struck out seven.
Nelson and Montoya were the only Pirates with more than one hit.
Game 2 – Whitworth 6, Willamette 4
The Pirates built a 6-2 lead and then held on to complete the series sweep of the Bearcats.
Montoya tripled home Taylor Hofheins in the top of the third. Kamryn Lunceford attempted to score on the play as well, but was called out at the plate.
Willamette tied the game in the bottom of the third on Emma Elliott's RBI double.
Hofheins singled home Heather Menzer in the top of the fourth for a 2-1 lead. Menzer singled home Montoya and Nelson in the top of the fifth to increase the margin to 4-1.
Marykate DeLuca's single drove in Elliott in the bottom of the fifth to trim the Bearcats' deficit to 4-2.
Whitworth picked up a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh that proved crucial. Dillon and Johnson had back-to-back RBI singles.
Willamette got an RBI double from Brianna Majors in the bottom of the seventh, then loaded the bases with one out. Trinity Miller came on in relief and retired the final two batters. One run scored on the first ground out to third base, but she picked up her first career save.
Corinne Vasiloff (12-4) got the win after allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks in 6.1 innings. She struck out three.
Kenna Davis (5-5) went the distance for the Bearcats and took the loss after giving up six runs on 11 hits and two walks. She struck out three.
Montoya finished the game 3 for 4 while Reagan Ellis and Hofheins each had a pair of hits.
