TACOMA, Wash. - Whitworth dropped both games of a Northwest Conference baseball double header against Pacific Lutheran University on Friday at Pacific Lutheran baseball field. The Pirates lost game one 10-2 before falling just short in game two 3-2.
Whitworth (8-22, 5-14 NWC) and Pacific Lutheran (15-15, 9-9 NWC) will face off in the series finale on Saturday at noon.
Game 1- PLU 10, Whitworth 2
PLU's offensive delivered 14 hits and 10 runs to win the series opener.
The Lutes scored in the first inning with Cole Trotignon's sacrifice fly, and Aaron Barber's RBI single. PLU extended their lead in the third inning with a grand slam from Rochne Beechum. Ethan Keintz doubled to left field for an RBI in the fourth inning and Beechum quickly followed with an RBI single to give PLU an 8-0 lead.
Hunter Dryden broke the Pirates' offensive silence in the fifth inning when he solo homered to left field. The Bucs' picked up one more run in the seventh with Dawson Warner's RBI double to center field.
Pacific Lutheran added on with two more runs in the eighth inning for a final score of 10-2.
 Spencer Howell (6-2) started on the mound for the Lutes and allowed two runs on eight hits through seven innings.
Whitworth's starting pitcher Dylan Bishop (2-4) allowed eight runs in 3.2 innings. Josh Grimes pitched four innings of two-run relief.
Game 2 – PLU 3, Whitworth 2
Whitworth loaded the bases in the ninth inning with no outs while trailing by a run, but PLU retired three straight batters to navigate out of the late jam.
Pacific Lutheran was able to load the bases and get two across in the first inning on two Whitworth errors. In the second inning the Lutes scored a run-on Braeden Lundberg's sacrifice fly to left field.
The Pirates got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with Elijah Tanner's first career home run, a solo shot to left field. In the sixth inning with base runners on first and third, Jacob Doughty was thrown out at second base attempting to steal but not before Austin Paul was able to reach home plate, pulling the Bucs within a run.
With runners on every base and no outs in the top of the ninth inning it looked as though the Pirates would force a bottom half of the inning. However, PLU's Chris Moreno was just too tough as he retired the next three on a line out to short and two strikeouts to collect his fourth save of the season.
The Lutes' starting pitcher Jonathan Cohen (3-2) made it through 5.2 innings while giving up two runs and five hits. Chris Moreno (S, 4) pitched three innings of scoreless relief.
Hunter Williams (1-4) started for the Pirates, going six innings and allowing one earned run. In relief for the final two innings was Jack Leary, keeping PLU scoreless on one hit.
Henry Zaske led the Pirates' offense recording three hits in his four plate appearances.
