GEORGETOWN, Texas. – Whitworth softball opened the 2026 season with a pair of losses to Southwestern University in a battle of Pirates on Saturday at Taylor-Sanders field.
Whitworth (0-2) will look to bounce back with its first win on Sunday in a doubleheader against Trinity at noon (CT).
Game 1: Southwestern 5, Whitworth 1
Whitworth struck first and allowed just five hits, but Southwestern took advantage of early mistakes with five runs.
The Bucs took an early 1-0 lead in the season's opening inning. Kendel Sage singled and Raegen Hofheins hit into a fielder's choice. Following an error that kept both runners on base, Teeghan Reams followed with an RBI single to give Whitworth the lead.
Southwestern responded with a pair of runs the next half inning. After a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch tied the game. A single moved another runner to third base and a passed ball gave Southwestern a 2-1 lead. After loading the bases in the second inning, a hit batter, walk and error extend the Southwestern lead to 5-1.
Madison Sanchez kept the Bucs within striking distance with 4.1 innings of scoreless relief in the circle. The Whitworth bats were effective in putting the ball in play but couldn't trim the deficit.
Reams (0-1) look the loss in 1.2 innings of work. Sanchez finished with three hits and seven strikeouts. Sage led the Bucs with two hits from the leadoff spot.
Mazlyn Heyer (2-1) pitched a six-hit, one-run complete game with four strikeouts for Southwestern.
Game 2: Southwestern 9, Whitworth 1 (5 inn.)
Southwestern got its bats going to complement another one-run pitching performance in a five-inning game two win.
The Texas Pirates grabbed an early 1-0 lead after taking advantage of a two-out error and bases-loaded walk. The lead extended to four in the second inning with an RBI single followed by a two-run double off the bat of Macey Gilman. After an RBI single in the third inning, a double and two-run single pushed the advantage to eight in the fourth.
Whitworth was able to manufacture a run in the fifth. Hofheins hit a base hit to right field and Sage beat a throw to advance to third. Hofheins broke for second, drawing another throw and allowing Sage to take home.
Southwestern plated a run on a fielder's choice in the bottom half of the fifth to complete the sweep.
Hofheins led the Bucs at the plate with two hits and Reams added a double. Schwippert (0-1) allowed four hits and five runs in three innings. Trinity Miller gave up four runs in an inning of relief.
Jaden Wheeler (2-1) allowed six hits and struck out three in the win for Southwestern.
