SPOKANE, Wash. – Despite having to plow three inches of snow off the surface of Gonzaga University's Steve Hertz Field, Whitworth University was able to open the 2025 baseball season on Saturday against Eastern Oregon University and the Pirates won two of the three seven-inning games.
Reed Gunnett's dramatic home run won the second game and Quentin O'Connor dominated on the mound in the finale.
Whether the schools can complete the four-game series on Sunday remains to be determined.
Game 1 – Eastern Oregon 4, Whitworth 2
The Mountaineers were able to rally from a 2-1 deficit by scoring three in the top of the fifth and getting three solid innings of relief from Zakaia Michaels.
Despite EOU having runners on second and third with no one out in the top of the second inning, Whitworth limited the Mountaineers to one run on Greyson McDaniel's sacrifice fly.
The Pirates took the lead in the third on RBI singles from Aidan Morrison and Carson Coffield.
EOU's winning rally in the fifth started with a double play that drove in McDaniel. But the Mountaineers got two more runs with two outs, including RBI singles from Carson Gerding and Mario Landeros.
Michaels (1-0) threw three innings of one-hit relief in place of starter Will Sesler, who allowed two runs on three hits through four innings.
Dylan Huntsman (0-1) started for the Pirates and gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4.1 innings. Conner Ashworth went the final 2.1 frames.
Game 2 – Whitworth 6, Eastern Oregon 5
Gunnett's walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Pirates to their first win of the season.
Tyson Laugen hit the Pirates' first homer of the season in the second inning and Yash Gupta added a two-run single in the fourth frame for a 3-1 lead. But the Mountaineers took the lead with three in the fifth, including a two-run double by Alex Olegue. They got an insurance run in the top of the seventh, setting the stage for the final at-bat.
Two were out before consecutive batters were hit by a pitch. Gunnett, a pinch-hitter, delivered his bomb to win the game.
Tyler Disch (1-0) got the pitching victory with one inning of scoreless relief. AJ Woodward started and allowed one run on three hits and two walks in 4.1 innings. Disch was the third Pirate reliever. Tyler Harper (0-1) took the loss in his only inning of relief for EOU.
Game 3 – Whitworth 5, Eastern Oregon 1
Quentin O'Connor threw a seven-inning complete game to lead the Pirates in Saturday's rubber game.
Ty Komoda got the Bucs on the board with a solo home run in the top of the third. Dominic Giusti added a two-run single in the fourth for a 3-1 lead. The Mountaineers got one back in the fifth on a sacrifice fly.
Whitworth finished its scoring in the fifth when Austin Paul scored on a wild pitch and Laugen scored on Gunnett's sacrifice fly.
O'Connor (1-0) scattered seven hits while striking out 11 EOU batters. Danny Burns (1-1) allowed three runs on five hits in 3.1 innings to net the loss. Three relievers followed for the Mountaineers.
