SPOKANE, Wash. – Shannon Wessel drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap a two-run rally and force in the game-winning run, giving 24^th-ranked Whitworth a 4-3 victory over visiting Pacific and a split of Saturday's Northwest Conference softball doubleheader.  The Boxers won the opener 9-2 to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Pirates.

Whitworth (17-6 overall, 9-3 NWC) managed to earn a split of Saturday's doubleheader despite the fact that Pacific (17-10-1, 9-7) hit six home runs on the day – three in each game.  The Bucs held on to first place in the NWC softball standings.

Wessel finished the day with three hits in five at bats to help offset Pacific's Rachel Roberts, who went 5-8 with three home runs and six RBIs.

Whitworth has a quick turnaround.  The Pirates will travel on Easter Sunday in order to begin a four-game NWC series at Willamette on Monday.

Game 1 – Pacific 9, Whitworth 2
What had been a taut pitchers' duel through the first four innings turned into a Boxer runaway, beginning with Roberts' grand slam home run in the top of the fifth inning.

Pacific managed only a pair of singles against Pirate starting pitcher Madi Perez through the first four innings.  But a double, a hit batter and a single loaded the bases with one out for Roberts in the fifth.  She took a Perez offering the opposite way to left field for a grand slam and a 4-0 Boxer lead.

The Pirates looked to get the runs back when they loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the fifth.  But Pacific starting pitcher Marissa Reichard limited the damage to one run after getting Alyssa Hall to ground out to shortstop and Myranda Ramirez to pop up. 

Ashley Mitchell hit a solo home run for Pacific in the top of the sixth with one out to chase Perez from the game.  Quirena Natividad added a second solo shot in the sixth off of Ashley Trueblood for a 6-1 lead.

The Boxers tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning, the big blow a two-run double for Mitchell.

Ramirez added an RBI single for Whitworth in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not nearly enough to overcome the large deficit.

Roberts finished the game 3-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored to lead Pacific, while Mitchell was 2-4 with three RBIs.  Wessel went 2-3 for Whitworth while Hall and Ramirez each had an RBI.

Reichard went the distance to improve to 11-4 this season.  She allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

Perez (6-6) allowed five runs on six hits in 5.1 innings of work.  She struck out five batters without a walk.  Trueblood gave up four runs on six hits in one inning of relief.  Nikki Olsen did not allow a run in 0.2 innings.

Game 2 – Whitworth 4, Pacific 3
In a game that could prove pivotal down the stretch of the season as the Pirates aim to defend their NWC title, Whitworth rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the series 3-1.

Reichard went the distance again for the Boxers, falling to 11-5 after giving up four runs (three earned) on 12 hits.  Makayla Lefever remained unbeaten as a Whitworth starting pitcher this season, improving to 10-0 in her complete-game effort.  She allowed three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

Pacific scored all three of its runs on solo home runs – two by Roberts.  Roberts led off the game with a shot to left, then sent one out to right-center in the third.  Mitchell added her second home run of the day in the top of the sixth to give the Boxers a 3-2 lead.

Every time Pacific went up by a run, the Pirates answered.  In the first inning Chelsey Hayes singled with Ramirez on second base.  After Ramirez took a wide turn at third, a throw from third base got away, allowing Ramirez to score.

Morgan Portlock's RBI single in the third inning retied the game 2-2.

After Whitworth went down in order in the sixth frame without drawing even, it looked like Reichard might be on her way to her second pitching win of the day.  But pinch-hitter Kelsey Downey singled to open the bottom of the seventh.  After she was sacrificed to second, Ramirez drove in Downey with her own single up the middle, tying the game.  Hayes and Portlock followed with singles that loaded the bases for Wessel.  With the count three balls and two strikes, Reichard's final pitch was high, forcing in Ramirez with the game-winning run.

Hayes went 4-4 for Whitworth, while Ramirez finished the game 3-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.  Portlock also had a pair of hits.  Roberts had another big game for Pacific, going 2-4 with the two solo home runs.  Trisha Snyder went 3-4 as well.