WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Brock Molenda went 5 for 5 at the plate, while Quentin O'Connor pitched his seventh victory of the season to lead visiting Whitworth to a 6-2 win at Whitman in the season finale for both schools on Sunday afternoon at Borleske Stadium.
The Pirates (25-15 overall and 15-9 in the NWC) have won 10 of their last 12 Northwest Conference contests and will head into next weekend's NWC tournament as either the second or third seeded team. The Blues fell to 21-19 overall and 12-12 in the NWC and the loss eliminated the Blues from qualifying for the conference tournament.
Whitworth struck early, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning on consecutive RBI singles from Junior Garcia, Kevin Corder and Kyle Memarian. Molenda added a two-run home run in the top of the third for a 5-0 lead.
Corder's second RBI single of the game extended the lead to 6-0 in the top of the seventh.
Whitman broke through against O'Connor in the bottom of the seventh. Nate Petz hit a solo home run and Jonah Chang followed with a double. After a pitching change to Tyler Disch and an out, Beck McGuire doubled to score Chang.
Disch closed down the threat in the seventh and then pitched a scoreless eighth. Nathaniel Kurano struck out the side in the ninth to finish off the game.
Molenda scored three times to go along with his two RBIs during his perfect day at the plate. He was hitting as DH with Garcia catching. Garcia finished 2 for 5 with an RBI and run, while Corder went 3 for 5 with two RBIs.
O'Connor (7-3) allowed two runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out six batters. Disch allowed only the one double in his 1.2 innings and Kurano hit the leadoff hitter in the ninth before recording three straight strikeouts.
Russell Peterson (4-5) started on the mound for Whitman and took the loss after he gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks in 3.0 innings. Rylan Burigsay tossed the final six innings for the Blues and limited Whitworth to one run on seven hits.
The 2025 NWC Tournament will take place at Pacific University next weekend. The Boxers are the host and top seed, while Linfield snuck in as the fourth seed. Whitworth and Puget Sound will be the other two participants. The game dates and times are still to be determined.
