SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth Pirates fell twice to visiting Pacific Lutheran in a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday at Diana Marks Field. The Lutes took game one 8-0 in five innings before a 4-2 win in game two.
The Pirates fell to 5-27 overall and 5-17 in the NWC while the Lutes (21-13) earned their 20th win of the season and drew even in conference play (11-11).
Game 1: Pacific Lutheran 8, Whitworth 0 (5 inn.)
Six different Lutes recorded an RBI and Paige Wilson shut down the Pirate bats in a complete game effort.
PLU put the first runs on the board in the first inning. Kamalani Doctor doubled home a run before a wild pitch and RBI single scored two more later in the inning.
Reagan Ellis recorded the lone Pirate hit in the bottom of the first with a single to right.
The Lutes matched their run total with three more in the second after a pair of RBI singles. A double pushed another across in the third.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Mya Grado hit a solo home run to center field that gave PLU an eight-run lead in the fifth. Whitworth could not extend the game in the bottom half of the inning.
Momi Lyman (3-15) allowed six runs (four earned) and struck out three in three innings of work for the Pirates. Annie Brose allowed one run one hit in two innings.
Wilson (9-5) earned the win after allowing one hit and striking out three in a complete five innings.
Game 2: Pacific Lutheran 4, Whitworth 2
Whitworth out hit Pacific Lutheran 11-7, but a four-run fifth inning lifted the Lutes to a win.
An error and two singles loaded the bases to start the bottom half of the first. Camryn Sage followed with a single through the right side to score the first Pirate run of the day. Whitworth added another in the second after Katie McKinnis' RBI double down the left field line scored Makena Hofford.
After four scoreless innings from Teeghan Reams, the Lutes broke through with five straight hits in the fifth. Back-to-back well-placed singles started the inning and Zoe Smithson followed with a go-ahead three-run home run to right field. After two more hits and a sac bunt, a ground out pushed across the fourth PLU run of the inning.
The Lutes threatened to add on in the sixth, but Reams got out of a bases loaded jam with a fly out.
Wilson entered the game in the sixth and held the Bucs to two hits over the final two frames. The seventh inning would be the only inning the Pirates did not record a hit in the game.
Camryn Sage, McKinnis, and Kendel Sage each had two hits to lead the Pirates at the plate.
Reams (1-6) allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out three in seven innings.
Rachel Treves started for the Lutes and allowed two runs in two innings. Maiya Anderson (2-1) pitched three innings and earned a win. Wilson was credited with her first save.
