Salem, Ore. – Whitworth softball earned a split in this weekend's four-game Northwest Conference series at Willamette, losing game one 2-1 and winning 5-3 in the series finale on Sunday.
The Pirates (6-14, 2-6 NWC) split yesterday's doubleheader at Willamette (6-12, 2-6 NWC) before splitting Sunday to finish the series even. The teams remain tied for sixth in the conference standings, as both picked up their first conference wins of the season.
Whitworth will have next weekend off before hosting Lewis and Clark in a four-game series on April 5-6.
Game 1 – Willamette 2, Whitworth 1
The Bearcats tacked on runs in the second and third inning, and the Pirates mustered just four hits in a 2-1 loss on Sunday.
Corinne Vasiloff (2-7) struck out nine batters and gave up a pair of runs in six innings of work, Jordyn Johnson (1-5) was credited with the win allowing just one run through seven innings while striking out four batters.
Kennedy Robison got the Pirates going with a double to center to score Jazz Johnson and put Whitworth up 1-0 in the second inning. Whitworth couldn't manage another run on just one hit for the remainder of the game, leaving five runners on base.
Emma Elliott tripled to kick off Willamette's third inning, and with one out Hatfield scored Elliott with a slow roller to second base. Mia Rogers delivered a two-out single to score Lund in the fourth, the RBI would turn out to be the game-winner.
The Pirates threatened to tie things up in the sixth after a one-out double from Julia Dillon, but with runners on second and third Jessica Rusconi lined out to left ending the inning.
Game 2 – Whitworth 5, Willamette 3
Kelly Hruza drove in three RBIs and scored once herself on a 2-3 day at the plate to lift Whitworth to a 5-3 win in Sunday's series finale at Willamette.
With two on and two out in the second inning Hruza delivered a two-RBI single to left to score Rusconi and Nine putting the Pirates up 2-0. Rusconi tacked on another for Whitworth with a solo blast in the fourth inning, her first of the season.
Willamette rallied to score three runs with two outs in the fifth, tying the game 3-3. Rogers singled up the middle with the bases loaded to score two, and a passed ball a batter later allowed Pinheiro to score the tying run.
But with their backs against the wall, Hruza delivered another clutch at bat with a single to right to bring home Rusconi for the go ahead run. Robison brought Ellis home two batters later with a sacrifice bunt to put Whitworth up 5-3.
Reiss McIntyre (2-0) stepped up in relief of Momi Lyman in the fifth, and threw 2.1 innings of scoreless ball to hold off the Bearcats.
