SPOKANE, Wash. – Seven innings was not enough for the Whitworth softball team as the Pirates won both games of Sunday's doubleheader in extra innings at Marks Field over the visiting Pacific softball team. Whitworth improves to 8-10 on the season, 5-7 in Northwest Conference play, while Pacific falls to 10-10, 7-5 in the NWC.
The Pirates concluded the weekend series with the Boxers in an extra inning thriller that showcased every player on the Whitworth roster.
Game 1 – Whitworth 2, Pacific 1 (8 innings)
Scoreless through five and a half innings, Whitworth and Pacific combined for six hits heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of game one. Senior Jamie Brunner led off with a single and was followed by freshman Bailey Kasler reaching first base on a fielder's choice. Junior Julia Johnson doubled to left field, scoring freshman pinch runner Brittany Connor and putting Whitworth in front 1-0.
Pacific answered with a run in the top of seventh inning to tie the game 1-1 and the Pirates stranded two base runners in the bottom of the seventh to head into extra innings. The Boxers were able to get a hit in the top of the eighth, but could not push any runs across the plate. After Marissa Reichard struck out Bailey Kasler, she walked senior Heather Hesselgesser. Sophomore Sacha Clow followed Julia Johnson's strikeout with a triple to right field that scored Hesselgesser and gave Whitworth the 2-1 victory.
Sophomore Riley Fritz (6-2) got the win, while Marissa Reichard (5-1) took the loss. Clow finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI.
Game 2 – Whitworth 15, Pacific 14 (9 innings)
After falling behind 7-0 going into the bottom of the first inning, the Pirates were able to chip away at Pacific's lead, earning back a few runs at a time. Julia Johnson and Sacha Clow were both walked at the bottom of the second inning, and Riley Fritz's single was able to score Johnson. While Jenn Yano and Kylee Oshiro were picking Fritz off at first base, Clow stole home and pulled the Bucs within 7-2.
After a scoreless third inning, Pacific tacked on three runs in the top of the fourth inning to bring its run total to 10. In Whitworth's at-bat, Brittany Connor reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a groundout for freshman Alyssa Hall, and scored on a single down the third base line from freshman Megan John. Heather Hesselgesser's left field single scored both John and freshman M'Liss Powles, and Julia Johnson's single to center field scored Jamie Brunner. Whitworth tallied four runs in the inning to make the score 10-6.
The Pirates were able to hold the Boxers scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings and chipped away at the lead with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Megan John reached first base after being hit by a pitch. Jamie Brunner double to left field, scoring junior pinch runner Makenzie Hope, and then scored herself on a Julia Johnson ground out. Sophomore Megan Fisher singled up the middle to score Heather Hesselgesser and pull the Pirates within a run, 10-9.
Pacific scored four runs at the top of the seventh, but the Pirates were able to push five runs across the plate and tie the game 14-14 at the bottom of the seventh inning. Brunner hit her second double of the day, scoring Hope and Powles, and then scored on a single from Hesselgesser. Hesselgesser scored on a Riley Fritz single to right field. With the bases loaded, Marissa Reichard walked M'Liss Powles, allowing senior pinch runner Natalie Evers to score and tie the game and force extra innings for the second time on the day.
Neither team was able to score in the eighth inning, and Pacific went down with one hit in the top of the ninth. Marissa Reichard walked sophomore Amber Manuel and junior Caylan Haehl after a Riley Fritz triple, loading the bases with two outs. Makenzie Hope reached on a Boxer error, scoring Fritz and giving Whitworth the 15-14 victory.
At the plate, Fritz (7-2) got the win, while Richard (5-2) took the loss. Jamie Brunner and Heather Hesselgesser each recorded three RBIs, while Julia Johnson and Riley Fritz batted in two runners apiece.
Next up, Whitworth will travel to Tacoma to face Puget Sound in a pair of doubleheaders on March 16th and 17th.
