TACOMA, Wash. – Whitworth dropped both games of a Northwest Conference doubleheader at the University of Puget Sound on Friday at Logger Baseball Field. Puget Sound carried their momentum from a 2-1 walk-off win in game one into a 6-2 victory in game two.
Whitworth is now 14-6 overall and 5-5 in the NWC while the Loggers improved their record to 11-12 overall and 3-5 in conference. Whitworth looks to get back on track Saturday in the final game of the series at Puget Sound, first pitch is scheduled for 12pm.
Game 1- Puget Sound 2, Whitworth 1
Game one proved to be a pitchers' dual and Puget Sounds' Davis Franklin commanded the Bucs' offense through six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight batters.
Brock Makashima singled for an RBI in the third inning to break the offensive silence and give Puget Sound the lead.
In the seventh inning, a Logger pitching change helped the Pirates tie the game. Ty Quiggle and Kevin Corder were able to draw back-to-back walks and pull off a double steal before Jacob Doughty grounded out for an RBI. But one run was all the Bucs were able to push across.
Whitworth looked bound to score again in the eighth inning after Austin Paul reached second base on a fielding error to lead off the inning. Reliever Zach Robman stranded Paul on third base.
The Loggers' Makana Murashige singled to center field then stole second with one out in the ninth inning. Makashima stepped to the plate again and delivered, his single to right field was enough to score Murashige and secure the 2-1 walk off win.
Hunter Dryden started for the Pirates and pitched six innings while allowing seven hits and one run. Dylan Huntsman worked one inning of relief and gave up just two hits. Hunter Williams (1-2) threw the final 1.1 innings before allowing the last run of the game.
Franklin, Ethan Rattie and Robman (1-1) were dominant throughout, striking out 11 Pirates and limiting Whitworth to only two hits. Robman pitched the final two innings without allowing a hit and striking out three batters to get the win.
Game 2- Puget Sound 6, Whitworth 2
The Loggers' pitching continued to shut down the Pirates and their offense rallied for twelve hits to win game two.
Puget Sound was first on the board when Franklin, hitting as DH, singled to right field for an RBI in the first inning.
In the second inning Preston Crockett singled for an RBI and Franklin recorded his second RBI of the game on a bases loaded walk, increasing the lead to 3-0.
The Pirates' offense showed signs of life in the fourth inning after Ty Quiggle hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Henry Zaske. Jacob Doughty followed with a single but an error by the right fielder allowed Spencer Shipman to score from first base to cut the deficit to one run. Puget Sound responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning with a single run on Jack McCullar's RBI single to center field.
The Loggers' scored two more runs in the sixth inning on McCullar's sacrifice fly and Kellen Krebs' bases loaded hit by pitch.
The Bucs' Jack Leary (3-1) pitched the first four innings and allowed four runs on eight hits before handing the ball to Tyler VanCise. VanCise tossed the final four innings and gave up two runs on four hits.
Puget Sound's Brett Harvey (3-2) tossed a complete game, giving up just two runs on eight hits while fanning eleven batters.
