TACOMA, Wash. – For the second straight day the Whitworth softball team rolled to an easy win in the first game, but could not hold an early lead in the second contest and split a Northwest Conference doubleheader at Puget Sound on Sunday. The Pirates won the first game 10-0 in five innings, but fell 8-6 in the second contest.
Whitworth (7-6 overall, 4-3 NWC) will play at makeup doubleheader at Pacific Lutheran on Monday, beginning at 11:00 am.
Game 1 – Whitworth 10, Puget Sound 0 (5 inn.)
Heather Menzer hit a home run for the third game in a row and Corinne Vasiloff threw a five-inning shutout to lead the Pirates in the opener.
Whitworth scored four runs in the top of the first inning, including Menzer's third home run in as many games and her fifth of the season, a two-run shot that drove in Julia Dillon. Reagan Ellis followed with an RBI single that scored Jazz Johnson.
The Pirates scored three more in the third. The Bucs scored their first run on a throwing error by the Loggers, then Haley Montoya delivered a two-run single.
Whitworth put the game away with three more runs in the fourth. Taylor Hofheins drilled a two-run double. Later in the inning Annie Brose scored on a wild pitch.
Vasiloff (5-2) limited UPS to only four hits. She struck out two and walked none in an efficient outing.
Kendall Gantz (1-2) allowed 10 runs (8 earned) on 11 hits over three-plus innings for the Loggers. Two teammates followed in relief.
Game 2 – Puget Sound 8, Whitworth 6
The Pirates led 6-2, but could not hold that lead as the Loggers came from behind with four runs in the fourth and two in the bottom of the sixth.
Whitworth again scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Whitworth's first two runs scored when a throw got away from the catcher, allowing Mattea Nelson and Haley Montoya to come home. Johnson followed with an RBI single before another UPS error allowed the fourth run to cross.
The Loggers got two back in the bottom of the first on Jazzy Allen's two-run single.
The game remained 4-2 until the fourth when Nelson added an RBI single and Montoya scored from third on a fielder's choice for a 6-2 advantate.
UPS tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Hailee Ueyama had a two run double and Emily Moore followed with a two-run home run.
Savanna Smith's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth gave the Loggers their first lead. A Pirate defensive miscue allowed the insurance run to score.
Whitworth got the tying runs on base in the top of the seventh with one out, but could not complete the rally.
Momi Lyman started the game for the Pirates and allowed six runs on nine hits in four innings. Vasiloff (5-3) came on in relief and gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits in two innings.
Smith (4-4) pitched a complete game for UPS, allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits and four walks. She struck out six.
