PORTLAND, Ore. - (From L&C Sports Information Office) Collin Gibbs made his first pitching victory of 2008 a shutout on Saturday, giving visiting Whitworth University a split of today's Northwest Conference double header at Lewis & Clark College, which gives the Pirates a 3-1 series win over the Pioneers. Whitworth dropped the opener 14-4 before pulling out the nightcap 1-0.

Dan Ramsey

Game 1 - Box Score

The Pirates took an early 2-0 lead when Jon Whiteside, who had doubled, scored on a single up the middle by Dan Ramsay. Another double up the middle from Scott Ward scored Ramsey with the second run of the inning.

The Pioneers answered with five runs in the bottom of the first after loading the bases with no outs. AJ Brown doubled to right field to drive in two runs. After getting two outs, sloppy defense allowed the Pioneers to score three more runs on a pair of errors by the Pirate infield, putting the Pioneers up 5-2.

After L&C scored a third inning run on an RBI single by Ryan Kostecka, the Pioneers added five more runs in the fifth. Mike Orr scored on a single to left by Sami Morgan and Chris Estrella drove in a second run with a single. Morgan and Estrella came around to score on the first home run of the season by Brown, putting the Pioneers up 11-2.

The Pioneers added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Kostecka led off the inning with a single up the middle, eventually scoring on an error. Back-to-back doubles by Estrella and Brown helped score the other two runs to make it 14-2.

The Pirates got their leadoff runner aboard on a Pioneers error in their final at bat in the seventh inning. An RBI double by Whiteside plated that run, with a single by Dan Ramsay accounting for the other unearned run in the inning, making it a 14-4 final.

For the Pioneers, AJ Brown went 4-5 with three doubles and a home run, driving in seven runs in the game. Mike Orr was 3-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. For the Pirates, Dan Ramsay was 2-4 with two RBI. Whiteside was 3-5 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in a run.

Starting pitcher Tucker Laurence improved to 4-0 on the season for the Pioneers, pitching the complete game to earn the win. Laurence allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits, walking two and striking out one. Starter Ryan Snell took the loss for the Pirates. In his four innings of work, he allowed seven runs (four earned) on ten hits.

Collin Gibbs

Game 1 - Box Score

The 1-0 score was not indicative of the action on the field with both pitchers having to work out of trouble to keep the score down. The two teams combined for 12 hits and seven errors with the Pirates stranding 11 runners and the Pioneers nine. The Pirates advanced a runner to third base in five of the seven innings, but only managed to plate one run. The Pioneers left runners stranded on third twice.

Whitworth's lone run of the game came in the third inning. Dan Belet walked to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Dan Ramsey after he moved to third on a single by Mitch Ramsey.

Gibbs earned his first victory of the season, getting the 7-inning complete game shut out. He allowed six hits, walking one and striking out three.

Jordon Smiley took the hard-luck loss for L&C, also working a complete game, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

Whitworth is now 8-14 overall and 7-9 in the Northwest Conference. The Pioneers are 5-15, 3-13 in the NWC.

Whitworth returns home to host Willamette University in a four game Northwest Conference series next weekend.