SALEM, Ore. - Visiting Whitworth pounded 24 hits in their best offensive showing of the season on Sunday, but the best the Pirates could do was split a double header at Willamette, winning the opener 9-3 and losing the nightcap 7-4.

Webb was 5 of 10 at the plate on Sunday

Short stop Ryne Webb led Whitworth (7-13 overall, 5-6 NWC) offensively, going 5 of 10 with three runs batted in. Ryan Snell earned his fourth win of the season on the mound.

Game 1: Whitworth 9, Willamette 3 - box score
Snell dominated the Bearcats through seven innings before tiring in the eighth to improve to 4-2 this season. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in 7.2 innings with 10 strikeouts and four walks. Jason Weatherman pitched a perfect 1.1 innings to finish the game.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Pirates broke through for six runs. Alex Scarpelli drove home two runs with a single, followed by an RBI single from J.J. Jones. Two more runs came home on Willamette mistakes - first an error by the short stop when Jones attempted to steal and then on a balk. Webb finished the big inning with an RBI single through the left side.

Mitch Ramsey singled home Van Lierman in the fifth. Joel Tampien added an RBI single in the seventh and Lierman scored on a wild pitch.

Whitworth finished with 13 hits in the game, including doubles by Webb and Lierman.

Snell earned his fourth win of the season

Game 2: Willamette 7, Whitworth 4 - box score
The Pirates got a bad break early when starting pitcher Brandon Zimmerman left the game after two innings with an injured arm. Zimmerman had given up two runs on three hits through two innings, but his absence was felt.

The Bearcats scratched out one more run in the fifth inning, then broke the game open with three runs in the sixth, coming against reliever James Nelson.

Whitworth finally got its game going in the seventh with three runs. After a throwing error allowed Scarpelli to score from second base, Webb homered to left field to pull the Pirates within 6-3.

Scarpelli added an RBI single in the eighth to get the Bucs within 6-4, but Kelsey Nakata relieved for Willamette and got out of the two-on, no out jam.

Whitworth and Whitworth will complete the three game series on Monday at noon.