LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Maddy Thomas drilled a game-winning home run in both contests to back complete game efforts by Corrine Vasiloff and Momi Lyman in Whitworth's sweep at Occidental in a non-conference softball doubleheader on Saturday.
The Pirates (8-2) won the first game 4-2 and the second 2-1 against the Tigers (2-4) and will complete the six-game set in Southern California with a doubleheader at Chapman on Sunday. The Bucs are on a six-game winning streak.
Game 1 – Whitworth 4, Occidental 2
Thomas hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Vasiloff earned her fourth win of the season while going the distance for the fourth time.
The Pirates scored in the first inning when Thomas lofted a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Rylee Gentner. The Tigers tied the game in the second when Ava Quesada singled home a run.
Gentner homered in the third, her second in as many days, to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead. Thomas hit her home run in the top of the fifth to drive in Montoya and provide the winning margin.
Oxy got one run back in the bottom of the seventh on a single by Delaney Russell.
The Tigers had hits in every inning but the fifth, but Vasiloff got the key outs when needed and forced Oxy to leave nine runners on the bases. Vasiloff (4-1) allowed two runs on 12 hits without a walk. She struck out two batters.
Julia Shephard (0-1) started for Oxy and allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings. She struck out three and walked four. Russell finished 3-4 at the plate for the Tigers.
Game 2 – Whitworth 2, Occidental 1
Thomas hit her game-winner in the sixth and Lyman earned her fourth complete-game victory of the season in a pitchers' duel with the Tigers' Russell.
The Pirates scored in the first, getting an RBI double from Montoya after Gentner led off the game with a single.
Thomas drilled her fourth home run of the season in the sixth off Russell to increase the lead to 2-0.
Isabella Harding hit a two-out, RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to halve the lead. Harding went to third on a short single to left. But Lyman got the final out of the inning on a grounder to shortstop.
Occidental had a one out single in the bottom of the seventh, but the Pirates turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Lyman (4-1) scattered six hits and no walks while allowing only one run in her win. Russell (0-1) allowed only three hits, but both runs were earned in her pitching effort for Oxy.
