by Kelsey Segren, Sports Information Assistant

NEWBERG, Ore. – Whitworth University survived two elimination games on Friday, defeating Lewis & Clark 12-3 before upsetting tournament host George Fox 9-6, to advance to the championship round of the Northwest Conference softball tournament.

The Pirates (15-22) take on the Wildcats (35-7) at noon on Saturday. Whitworth must defeat Linfield twice to win the tournament and claim the NWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Game 1 – Whitworth 12, Lewis & Clark 3 (6 innings)

Whitworth used 17 hits and a pair of big innings to eliminate Lewis & Clark from the tournament. The third-seeded Pioneers, who were competing in their first-ever NWC tournament, finish their historic season with a 17-15 overall record.

Jessica Rusconi finished 3-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. Sara Gayer went 4-4 with a pair of RBIs and three runs scored. Heather Menzer hit 3-3 with two-extra base hits and two RBIs.

Whitworth got off to a strong start as the first seven Pirates reached base. Gayer drove in a pair of runs with a double then scored on a Menzer single. Rusconi scored Maddy Thomas with another base hit to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead and force a Pioneer pitching change. L&C got out of the inning with a double play and a groundout.

Lewis & Clark narrowed its deficit to 4-1 in the second inning but Menzer got that run back for the Pirates with a solo home run in the third.

Braylin Jenson drove in a run for the Pioneers in the bottom half of the third with a single before scoring on a Pirate fielding error to bring the score to 5-3.

Thomas, who finished 2-3 at the plate, hit a two-run homer in the fourth to put the Pirates up 7-3. Gayer scored on the deep shot after reaching base on her third straight hit of the game.

Whitworth added five runs in the top of the sixth, beginning with a bases-loaded double from Rusconi. Haley Montoya, who was out of the lineup for the last three series, added two more runs with a pinch-hit homer, the first of her Pirate career.

Lewis & Clark loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth but was unable to do any damage. Alyssa Abe (9-10) took the loss in the circle for the Pioneers, allowing four runs on five hits in 0.2 innings. Abe was relieved by Jane Wilson with no outs in the first before returning in the sixth, replacing Cassidy Crusberg.

Melanie Laronde (3-3) earned the pitching win in just her fourth start of the season. The sophomore allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in her first career complete game.

Game 2 – Whitworth 9, George Fox 6

Whitworth survived the second elimination game with an upset over the regular season NWC champion. George Fox, who fell to Linfield in the game prior, drops to a 28-10 overall record.

Thomas finished 3-4 with a double, two home runs and five RBIs to lead the Pirates at the plate and help the team to its only win of the season over the Bruins.

The Pirates continued their offensive momentum from the early game by taking a five-run lead in the opening frame. Thomas got the scoring started with a three-run homer and Rusconi's two-run blast extended Whitworth's advantage to 5-0.

Thomas recorded her fifth RBI of the game with another homer in the third. The Bruins then made a pitching change as Ashley Davis, who pitched 5.2 innings against Linfield the previous game, relieved Sarah Storton.

Katie Ladd hit a leadoff solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to get the Bruins on the scoreboard. George Fox narrowed the margin to 7-3 in the fifth after back-to-back RBI singles from Ladd and Caitlyn Rhoades.  

Whitworth responded with two runs in the top of the sixth. Mattea Nelson doubled and scored on a Kaylie Lowery single. Gayer hit an RBI single to bring home Lowery and put the Pirates up 9-3.  Kylie Harris and the Pirate defense retired the side in order in bottom half to maintain the six-run advantage heading into the seventh inning.

Rhoades drove in three runs with a two-out homer to make it a three-run game before Harris struck out the final batter.

Drea Schwaier-Wolf (7-9) was the winning pitcher for the Pirates, allowing three runs on six hits in 4.2 innings of work. Harris gave up three runs on two hits in 2.1 innings of relief.

Storton (8-3) got the loss in the circle for the Bruins, allowing seven runs (three earned) on six hits in two innings. Davis allowed two runs on six hits in five innings of relief.