KENNEWICK, Wash. - Willamette University used a pair of big innings to win the opener, and Whitworth University held off a late rally to win the nightcap of a Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader at La Pierre Field on Sunday afternoon. The games were moved 145 miles to Kennewick, Washington because of snowy conditions in Spokane.

Willamette 9, Whitworth 4 (game 1 box score)

Trailing 3-0 through four innings, the Bearcats scored four runs in the top of the fifth to pull ahead, then five more in the top of the ninth to put the game away for a 9-4 win.

The Pirates took a 3-0 lead in the third when Mitch Ramsey hit his first home run of the season, a two run shot, and Dan Ramsey followed with his third home run of the year.

Willamette began its four-run fifth inning with an RBI triple from leadoff hitter Sean Anderson. After a walk, Kyle Stalker hit his NWC-leading 15th home run of the season - a three run bomb - to put the Bearcats up 4-3.

After neither team scored over the next three innings, Willamette finally drove Whitworth ace Chad Flett from the game with a five-run ninth. First Ellis Maslanik hit his first home run of the season. Then Doug Bloom doubled home a run and Stalker added a two-run double to total five runs batted in for the game. Jack McGee singled home the final run of the game off of relief pitcher Austin Knighton.

Whitworth got one run back in the bottom of the ninth when Billy Rigsby, who had doubled, scored on a wild pitch.

Clint Moran earned the win for Willamette, giving up four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and five walks to improve to 3-2. Flett fell to 4-2 this season for Whitworth, allowing all nine runs (a season-high) on 13 hits.

Whitworth 6, Willamette 5 (game 2 box score)

Dan Belet drove home the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning and John Hauck pitched two shutout innings of relief to give Whitworth the split of the doubleheader.

Michael Rierson scored on a passed ball in the second inning to give Willamette an early 1-0 lead. But the Pirates answered with two in the bottom of the third when Matt Monahan scored from third on a passed ball and Belet scored on Dan Ramsey's grounder to first base.

The Bearcats tied the game in the top of the fifth on a grounder to short, but Whitworth added two in the bottom of the inning on Jon Whiteside's RBI double and Flett's RBI single. Monahan added an RBI single in the sixth to give Whitworth a 5-2 lead.

Willamette tied the game in the seventh when Anderson led off with his third home run of the season and Colin Young followed with an RBI single to short right field. Young later scored on an error at first base, tying the game.

With two out in the eighth inning, Rigsby reached on an error at shortstop. After a single by Monahan, Mac Collette pinch ran for Rigsby and scored on Belet's base hit, giving Whitworth back the lead.

Hauck (2-1) pitched a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts, to win the game with two innings of relief. Freshman Nathan Johnson started for Whitworth, going seven innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Scott Martin (0-2) took the loss in relief for Willamette, allowing one run (unearned) on two hits in 2.1 innings. Starter Kelsey Nakata went 5.2 innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Whitworth (9-15 overall, 8-10 NWC) and Willamette (11-12, 7-7) will attempt to complete the four game series on Monday. The location of the games will be determined by field and weather conditions on Monday morning.