SPOKANE, Wash. – Kayla Batastini's three-run homer early in the first game set the tone as Whitworth swept visiting Pacific to move into sole possession of second place in the Northwest Conference softball standings on Saturday afternoon.  Batastini's drive was the difference in a 4-2 win in the opener and Makayla Lefever threw a complete game to shut out the Boxers 5-0 in the nightcap.

Whitworth improved to 15-5 overall and 8-2 in the NWC while Pacific fell to 13-7, 6-4.  The Bucs ended a six-game losing streak to the Boxers from last season.  The teams will try to complete the four-game series on Sunday.

Game 1 – Whitworth 4, Pacific 2
Batastini's home run, her second of the season, powered the Pirates to a 3-0 lead in the second inning.  The right-handed catcher hit the ball out the opposite way against a strong wind to drive in Tessa Matthews and Kelsey Stroshine.

It was a confidence booster for the Pirates against Pacific starting pitcher Marissa Reichard, who came into the game as the NWC leader in earned run average and as the reigning NWC Pitcher of the Week.

That was all the run support that Whitworth starter Madi Perez would need to improve to 8-2 this season.  She was effective, if not dominant, allowing two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and three walks.  Perhaps most important, she forced Pacific to strand nine runners on base over the first six innings without allowing a run.

Shannon Wessel led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple against Pacific reliever Allie Sims.  She scored an insurance run on Stroshine's ground out to third base two batters later.

The Boxers finally got to Perez in the top of the seventh.  With two outs Ashley Mitchell doubled home Reichard, who had walked earlier in the inning.  It was Mitchell's league-leading 26^th RBI of the season.  Kylee Yamamoto singled home Mitchell to cut the lead in half.  After another single put the potential tying run on base, Perez got Margaret Bachmeier to hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.

It was the tenth complete game of the season for Perez.

Reichard fell to 5-4 this season after allowing three runs on five hits over five innings.

Game 2 – Whitworth 5, Pacific 0
Lefever kept the Boxers off balance the entire game and the Pirates took advantage of Pacific miscues to pick up an early lead.

Whitworth scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the first after errors allowed Alyssa Hall and Peyton McMahon to reach base with two outs.  Matthews followed with a two-run double off of Pacific starter Jessica Hotaling. 

The Bucs increased the lead to 3-0 in the second after Batastini led off with a single and eventually came around to score on a hit by Chelsey Hayes.

Whitworth scored twice more in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Alyssa Burns.  Stroshine led off with a double and scored on Megan John's RBI single.  John would later come in to score on Pacific's third error of the game.

Lefever improved to 7-2 this season with her sixth complete-game victory.  She scattered three singles and struck out five batters without giving up a walk. 

Hotaling fell to 5-2 after she allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in 5.0 innings.  She struck out three and walked one.