STAYTON, Ore. – Visiting Whitworth swept Willamette in a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday at Stayton High School, winning the first game 7-4 and the second 8-4.
Heather Menzer drove in five runs for the Pirates (16-10 overall, 8-6 in the NWC), who have won seven of their last eight contests, not including Friday's win in a resumed game at Pacific. The Bearcats fell to 13-15, 8-10.
The teams will complete the four-game series with a second doubleheader on Sunday, also at Stayton HS.
Game 1 – Whitworth 7, Willamette 4
The Pirates broke open the game with four runs in the top of the sixth inning and Corinne Vasiloff won her fifth straight pitching decision in the opener.
Menzer drilled her team-leading seventh home run of the season in the second inning to give Whitworth a 1-0 lead. Jazz Johnson scored on Jessica Rusconi's sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 2-0.
Willamette cut the margin to a run on Kendra Knapp's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.
Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth for a 3-1 lead, but Faith Collar was able to come home on a ground out in the bottom of the inning to pull the Bearcats back within one.
The Pirates scored four in the sixth to break open the game. Menzer's infield single drove in the first run. Johnson's single scored the second. Reagan Ellis finished the rally with a two-run double to right for a 7-2 lead.
Knapp hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, but Vasiloff struck out Knapp to end the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh.
Vasiloff (11-4) allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks in her complete game. She finished with seven strikeouts.
Jordyn Johnson (4-6) went the distance for Willamette, allowing seven runs on 11 hits and five walks. She struck out three batters.
Menzer, Ellis and Julia Dillon all had a pair of hits for the Bucs.
Game 2 – Whitworth 8, Willamette 4
Heather Menzer drove in three more runs to help the Pirates rally from an early deficit to complete Saturday's sweep.
Gianna Marchese's two-run double in the second inning gave the Bearcats a 2-0 lead.
The Pirates scored four in the next half inning to go in front. Haley Montoya had an RBI double and Menzer followed with a two-run triple. Menzer scored on Johnson's sacrifice fly to complete the rally.
Mia Lund's RBI single in the bottom of the third got Willamette within 4-3.
Menzer added an RBI single in the fifth. The Pirates scored three in the sixth for an 8-3 advantage. Kennedy Robison had an RBI single and Mattea Nelson followed with a double to drive in Robison. Dillon drove in Nelson with a single to right field.
Emma Elliott drove in Willamette's final run in the bottom of the sixth.
Momi Lyman (5-5) allowed three earned runs on ten hits in seven innings of work. She struck out eight Bearcats.
Kenna Davis (5-4) took the loss. She also went seven, giving up eight runs on 13 hits with five strikeouts.
Nelson finished 3-4 with three runs scored. Dillon, Menzer and Kelly Hruza all had two hits.
