SPOKANE, Wash. – After letting an early lead slip in game one, senior Jamie Brunner hit a walk-off double in game two as the Whitworth softball team split Saturday's game with the visiting Willamette University Bearcats at Marks Field.

Whitworth improves to 19-15 on the season, with a 13-9 Northwest Conference mark, while Willamette falls to 13-17 overall, 9-11 in NWC play.

Game 1 – Willamette 5, Whitworth 3
Willamette got on the scoreboard early with a run in the top of the first inning, but the Pirates earned a run in the bottom of the second inning when freshman pinch runner Brittany Connor scored on a sacrifice from freshman M'Liss Powles to tie the game 1-1. After holding the Bearcats scoreless in the top of the third, Whitworth pushed another run across in the bottom of the third when junior Makenzie Hope scored on a double from Jamie Brunner to left field to go ahead 2-1.

The teams traded leads again when the Bearcats scored a run in the top of the fourth and top of the fifth to gain a 3-2 lead, but Whitworth was able to tie it up when junior Julia Johnson was walked with bases loaded, scoring junior Caylan Haehl.

Willamette followed a scoreless sixth inning with two runs in the top of the seventh to go out to a 5-3 lead. With one out on the scoreboard, Brunner was able to reach on a Bearcat error, but Willamette turned a double play in the next at-bat to get both Brunner and senior Heather Hesselgesser and seal the victory.

Victoria Bradshaw (5-4) earned the win in the circle, pitching three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit. Sophomore Riley Fritz (11-4) took the loss, giving up four earned runs on nine hits in 6.2 innings pitched.

Makenzie Hope went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Jamie Brunner, Julia Johnson and M'Liss Powles each recorded an RBI in the game.

Game 2 – Whitworth 5, Willamette 4
Willamette picked up where it left off in game one as the Bearcats went up 1-0 after the top of the first inning, but the Pirates were able to push a run across in the bottom of the inning when Jamie Brunner scored on a single to center field from Heather Hesselgesser. The Bucs went ahead in the bottom of the second inning as senior Jessica Ross hit a triple to left field, scoring Riley Fritz.

The teams went scoreless through the next three innings but Willamette broke the scoring drought with a run in the top of the sixth. Whitworth was unable to answer and headed into the final inning tied 2-2. The Bearcats used three hits in the top of the seventh to score two runs and take a 4-2 lead, but Whitworth used its last half inning wisely.

With one out, freshman pinch hitter Megan John singled to center field and then advanced to second on a single from M'Liss Powles. Both runners advanced on a groundout from Makenzie Hope and then scored on a single to center field from freshman pinch hitter Alyssa Martinez. With two outs and a 4-4 score, Brunner stepped in the batter's box and hit a double to left field to score pinch runner Caylan Haehl and earn the 5-4 win.

Riley Fritz (12-4) earned the win, while Hayley Glantz (8-11) took the loss in the circle.

At the plate, M'Liss Powles went 2-for-3, while Martinez was 1-for-1 with two RBI.

The teams will wrap up the series with game one of the doubleheader beginning at 12:00 pm on Sunday.