SPOKANE, Wash. – Led by leadoff hitter Ty Komoda, Whitworth scored early and often in a 17-2 win over visiting Willamette on Sunday afternoon at Merkel Field, giving the Pirates two of three in the Northwest Conference baseball series against the Bearcats.  The game was shortened to seven innings by a ten-run mercy rule.

Komoda went 5-5 in the game with three RBIs and four runs scored to help Whitworth improve to 17-10 overall and 8-7 in the NWC.  Willamette dropped to 9-13, 7-5 after coming into the weekend tied for first place in the NWC standings.

The Pirates scored seven runs on seven hits in the first inning, also taking advantage of a Bearcats' error.  Komoda singled to lead off the inning, then singled again later in the frame to drive in a run as ten Pirates came to the plate.

After adding a single run in the second, Whitworth poured on the offense in the fourth, fifth and sixth.  Caleb Gray had an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch in the three-run fourth.  Komoda added another RBI single as part of two runs in the fifth.  Komoda added his third RBI single of the game during a four-run rally in the sixth.  Gray finished out the scoring with an RBI double.

Gray went 4-5 at the plate in the game with two RBIs and three runs.

All that offense was more than enough to support starter Quentin O'Connor, who improved to 5-2.  He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in six innings.  Tyler VanCise struck out two Bearcats in his only inning on the mound.

Jackson Garrett started on the mound for Willamette and fell to 2-4 after giving up seven runs on seven hits in only two-thirds of an inning.  Dylan Turner (four runs in 3.1 innings) and Matthew Mason (six runs in two innings) finished up the game for the Bearcats.

Nate Hamburger went 3-3 at the plate for Willamette with one RBI and one run scored.

Whitworth will hit the road to play a Northwest Conference series at Linfield University next weekend.