SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth softball dropped both games against Lewis & Clark on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-0 in game one and 8-5 in the series finale.
Whitworth (7-16, 3-9 NWC) has not won a series this season, they dropped the final three games of the weekend after the 5-4 win in game one. L&C (16-8, 10-2 NWC) continues to build on its best start in years, they are two games out of first place in the Northwest Conference.
The Pirates are currently sitting in last place in the NWC, but they're just two games back from fourth place Pacific Lutheran, a top four finish which would secure Whitworth a spot in the conference tournament. They'll look to make up some ground in the standings next weekend as they host Puget Sound (6-14, 4-8 NWC) in a four-game series at home.
Game 1 – Lewis & Clark 3, Whitworth 0
Whitworth struggled to capitalize on lead off extra base hits by Julia Dillon and Jazz Johnson, and the Pioneers took game one on the back of a three-run fourth inning and a shutout from starting pitcher Maggie O'Leary.
Corinne Vasiloff and O'Leary rolled through the first three innings as neither offense even got a runner in scoring position, but the Pioneers found some separation in the fourth with three runs. Vasiloff bobbled a short grounder to start the inning allowing Madison Scroggins to reach first and Sam Gildersleeve capitalized on that error with a two-run blast to deep center, her fifth home run of the season. The Pioneers plated one more run before Vasiloff got out of the inning with a pair of pop outs.
Julia Dillon led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to the center field wall giving Whitworth a golden chance to get on the board, but the chance was blown when Dillon was thrown out by second baseman Gina Ozuna trying to score on a ground ball from Jazz Johnson. With Whitworth still chasing three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Johnson doubled to center to lead off the inning but three straight Pirates were retired to keep any hopes of a rally at bay. Jess Rusconi's deep line drive was tracked down by Alyssa Hoeke to save Johnson from scoring.
O'Leary (7-4) recovered from a rocky outing in Saturday's opener and tossed a complete game shutout allowing just five hits despite striking out only one batter. Vasiloff (4-8) allowed just four hits and a single earned run in seven innings, but that three-run fourth inning proved to be the difference.
Game 2 – Lewis & Clark 8, Whitworth 5
Gina Ozuna led L&C with three hits (a triple short of a cycle) and a pair of RBIs as the Pioneers overcame a 3-4 day from Montoya to win the series finale 8-5.
L&C came out swinging, posting four hits and three runs in the first inning on starter Reiss McIntyre (1-2). Ozuna and Scroggins tagged base hits to open the game, Campanell drove in a run with a single up the middle before Emily Patton sliced another single up the middle to drive in a pair of runs and put the Pioneers up 3-0 early.
Montoya and Kennedy Robison kicked off game two with a pair of base hits to center field, but Dillon, Rusconi, and Johnson were retired in a row on two pop outs and a strikeout to keep the Pirates scoreless.
Ozuna struck again in the second slapping her third home run of the year, a line drive blast to center to extend L&C's lead to 4-0, but the Pirates responded.
Whitworth got itself back in the game and knocked out L&C starter Sickels with a three-run second inning. Addie Johnson singled up the middle to score Koszykows who led off the inning with an infield single. With runners on second and third, Montoya delivered a clutch base hit to center driving in a pair of runs to draw the Bucs within a run.
But the Pioneers just kept swinging, tacking on a run in the third, two more in the fourth off singles from Gildersle and Alvarez, and one more in the fifth on Ozuna's third hit and second RBI of the day to take an 8-3 lead.
The Bucs' offense found some life in the sixth; Rusconi started the inning with a double off the left field well and Hofford drove her in with a line drive shot to left center, Reagan Ellis followed suit with a slice to left field to score Hofford from second and cut the deficit to 8-5.
Both starters were knocked out early, Sickels was replaced by Charlisse Pope (7-3) after giving up three runs in the second inning. Pope tossed 4.2 innings and allowed two runs before O'Leary stepped in for the seventh inning save. McIntyre's third start ended after 2.1 innings, Vasiloff stepped into the game for 4.2 innings in relief after seven innings of work in game one, she allowed three earned runs in that time.
The Pioneers racked up 14 hits on their way to the win, Whitworth's offense put up nine but couldn't manage to make the comeback.
