SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University gutted out a doubleheader split with visiting George Fox to close the midweek Northwest Conference series originally scheduled for March 15-16 at Diana Marks Field.
Teeghan Reams hit a three-run home run to lead the Pirates (6-21 overall, 4-12 NWC) to a 5-4 game one win. The Bruins (13-15, 7-9 NWC) clinched the series with an 8-4 win in game two.
After a day off tomorrow, the Bucs will be back in action on Saturday and Sunday with a four-game NWC series against Pacific (Ore.) at Marks field. First pitch on Saturday is set for 12:00 pm.
Game 1: Whitworth 5, George Fox 4
Whitworth held off a seventh inning George Fox rally to secure its first home win of the season.
The Bruins loaded the bases before an out was recorded in the first. Pirate starting pitcher Lina Schwippert fought back and got out of the jam by inducing a double play and getting a strikeout.
Whitworth's offense also started hot. Kendel Sage and Raegan Ellis singled before Teeghan Reams blasted her fifth home run of the season to put the Bucs up by three.
GFU trimmed the Pirate lead to 3-1 after an RBI single from Kiley Harris in the second. The Bruins again loaded the bases, but again the Whitworth defense came through to prevent further damage.
Bruin starting pitcher Riley Pirkle hit an RBI double in the top of the third to get within a run. Whitworth got the run back in its half of the inning with a Brynn Erdmann double that scored Natalie Singer. Ellis added on with a bases-loaded RBI single to push the advantage to 5-2 in the fourth.
George Fox fought back to trim lead to one in the fifth. Bethany Wilkes hit a single and an error allowed a run to score. A passed ball pushed the second run of the inning across. For the third time in the game, the Bucs held on to their lead amidst a bases loaded threat, this time with relief pitcher Trinity Miller withstanding the pressure.
After two early outs in the seventh, baserunning threat Makayla Noone drew her third walk and stole second. Miller then secured the win by getting Tinley Taylor, who had two hits in the game, to ground out.
Kendel Sage reached three times with a pair of hits and a walk to lead the Bucs at the plate. Ellis was 2 for 3 and Reams led with three RBIs.
Schwippert (3-8) earned her third win of the season in a gutsy four-inning performance. She allowed four runs (three earned) and struck out three. Miller earned her first save of the season after pitching a scoreless three innings of relief.
Pirkle (4-8), who led the team with three hits at the plate, took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits with three strikeouts in five innings from the circle. Allison Heater allowed one run in one inning. Noone reached four times with a hit and three walks.
Game 2: George Fox 8, Whitworth 4
George Fox scored a run in each of the final four innings to pull away in game two.
Whitworth got on the board first in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Ellis that scored Kendel Sage.
The Bruins responded and took the lead in the fourth. Sami Stadtlander tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Two batters later, Mia Cantu hit a two-run home run to left field to put the Bruins up 3-1. In the fifth, GFU added two more after a stolen base, error and Stadtlander RBI base hit.
Reams, who was intentionally walked in her previous plate appearance, cut the deficit in half for the Bucs in the bottom of the fifth with an opposite field two-run homer, her third of the series and sixth of the season.
Over the final two innings, GFU extended their lead. Cori Doran pushed across a run with a fielder's choice and a wild pitch put the Bruins up by four in the sixth. Kendel Sage's sacrifice fly got a run back, but George Fox followed with one of their own in the seventh.
Aubrey Bauer, Lizzy Bradford and Landri Nakano each tallied two hits to lead Whitworth at the plate. Reams, Ellis and Hahn each reached twice.
Reams (1-5) pitched five innings and allowed five runs on eight hits with one strikeout in the loss. Madison Sanchez gave up two runs in a third of an inning and Miller pitched the final 1.2 innings with one run allowed and a strikeout.
Nicole Ledendecker (7-2) started in the circle in the win for the Bruins and allowed four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Heater allowed one hit in 1.2 innings of relief. Noone, Stadtlander, and Cantu led the GFU offense with two hits apiece.
