SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth softball was officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in eleven seasons on Saturday after falling 9-4 and 3-1 to last-place Pacific at Diana Marks Field.
The loss in game one officially narrowed the race for the NWC's fourth seed to two teams: Willamette and George Fox. Whitworth needed a four-game sweep this weekend to have any chance at qualifying for the postseason, the best they can do now is draw the series to a split. The Pirates will play their final games of 2024 on Sunday, first pitch is at 11:00.
Game 1 – Pacific 9, Whitworth 4
The Boxers rang up 17 hits to snap their 16-game losing streak and eliminate Whitworth from NWC tournament contention with a 9-4 win at Diana Marks Field.
Three Boxers posted three hits including Faith Lawson who went 3-4 with four RBIs including a two-run home run in the fourth. Pacific pounced on Corinne Vasiloff (8-12) with hits in the first four at bats of the game, they also used an obstruction on Pirate catcher Lizzy Bradford to help them to a 3-0 lead.
The Pirates got those runs right back in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on a two-out drop by Pacific center fielder Kiaya Tom which allowed a run to score and opened the door for RBI-base hits by Jessica Rusconi and Jazz Johnson which tied things 3-3 at the end of a wild first frame.
Kayla Kodani belted a triple to the wall in right center to drive in Chloe Knepp in the third, but Kodani was tagged out at home in the following at bat keeping Whitworth within a run at 4-3. Lawson's two-run blast to left center with two away in the fourth gave Pacific a 6-3 lead, Julia Dillon shaved the deficit with an RBI single to bring the Pirate deficit to two runs, but the Pirates would not score again.
The Boxers piled on three more runs in the sixth, two coming off Roddey's two-RBI single down the right field line to go up 9-4. Lyman got out of the jam as Johnson snatched a line drive at short stop and threw back to first for the double play, but the damage was done.
Kodani came up with a leaping snag and turned a double play in the sixth to keep the Pirates at bay, and Karlie Espinoza finished her day on the mound an inning later, going all seven innings allowing nine hits and just one earned run.
Vasiloff's start lasted five innings and she allowed 12 hits and five earned runs before Reiss McIntyre stepped into the circle in relief but recorded just one out before Momi Lyman stepped in to stop the bleeding.
Game 2 – Pacific 3, Whitworth 1
Chloe Knapp delivered the final gut punch of Saturday's doubleheader with a two-run home run in the sixth to put Pacific up for good and spoil a gem from Whitworth starter Momi Lyman.
Lyman pitched a full game allowing x hits and x runs in one of her last outings of the season, but Kiara Baba countered it with seven innings of work allowing just one run.
Whitworth missed a chance to draw first blood, a Haley Montoya double gave the Pirates runners on second and third with one out, but Amy Pederson and Julia Dillon were sat down to keep the game a scoreless tie into the fourth.
Instead, Pacific strung together three straight hits with two outs in the fourth to take the lead. Ray and Knepp singled to center before Kodani delivered in the clutch with an RBI-single for a 1-0 lead.
Kelly Hruza led off the fifth with a triple to deep right field, sliding into third to give the Pirates an excellent shot to even the game. Hofheins and Ellis grounded out without scoring Hruza, but with two away Haley Montoya evened the score with a base knock to left field for the equalizer.
It wasn't even for long, Kimberly Ray singled up the middle to lead off the inning before Chloe Knepp delivered a crushing blow with a two-run blast over the right field scoreboard to give Pacific a 3-1 lead.
The Pirates threatened in the sixth with runners on second and third, but Hruza's deep fly ball was tracked down near the warning track to close the frame and keep any rally at bay. The seventh inning was over in a blink as Pacific earned its first back-to-back conference wins.
