LEWISTON, Idaho - The Whitworth and Willamette baseball road show finally came to an end on Monday afternoon with Whitworth sweeping the Bearcats by identical 6-5 scores in a Northwest Conference doubleheader played at Church Field in Lewiston, Idaho because of snow accumulation at the Pirates' Merkel Field. Whitworth (11-15 overall, 10-10 NWC) held off a comeback by Willamette (11-14, 7-9) in the first game, then rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win the second game.
Whitworth 6, Willamette 5 (game 1 box score) Whitworth built a 6-1 lead through four innings then held off a late charge by Willamette. Ryan Snell went the distance on the mound for the Pirates to pick up his first victory of the season. Sean Anderson singled to open the game for the Bearcats and eventually came around to score on Kyle Stalker's ground out to second base for an early 1-0 lead for Willamette. Whitworth got that run back in the second on Matt Monahan's RBI single, then took the lead in the third when Dan Ramsey hit his fourth home run of the year. The Pirates rallied for four runs in the fourth on three hits and two Bearcat errors. Mitch Nelson led off with a double and after moving to third, tried to score on a ground ball. The throw home was in time, causing Nelson to go back to third, where the fielder mishandled the throw - allowing Nelson to score. Dan Belet added an RBI double and Jon Whiteside followed with a sacrifice fly. Belet eventually scored on a wild pitch. Only one of the runs in the inning was earned. Willamette finally began to rally in the sixth inning against Snell. Colin Young and T.C. Lee each had RBI singles in the inning to pull the Bearcats within 6-3. In the seventh, Willamette got the first two runners on after David Tufo was hit by a pitch and Anderson walked. After an out and a single, Michael Rierson struck out but Young singled, driving in two runs. With the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, Snell got Andrew Ross to pop up to end the game. Snell went seven innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Tye Sundlee started and took the loss for Willamette, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings. Monahan went 3 for 3 at the plate for the Pirates, while Young finished 2 for 4 for Willamette with three RBIs.
Whitworth 6, Willamette 5 (game 2 box score) This time Willamette led 5-0 through four innings before Whitworth scored two in the sixth and four in the seventh to complete the comeback victory. The Bearcats scored four in the third, beginning with Rierson's two-RBI double. Young followed with an RBI single and Jack McGee added a sacrifice fly to complete the rally. Willamette added its fifth run in the fourth on Anderson's RBI triple. Meanwhile, Bearcat starting pitcher Jarrid Summers was shutting down the Pirates, holding Whitworth to a single hit through five innings. The Pirates began the comeback in the sixth when Billy Rigsby doubled home two runs. In the seventh, after Monahan led off with a walk, Jimmy Meuel replaced Summers on the mound. After another walk, Whiteside doubled home a run to pull the Pirates within 6-3. After an out, Chad Flett and Rigsby followed with RBI singles to tie the game. Meuel got one more out before Scott Ward singled up the middle to drive in the winning run. Jason Weatherman (1-0) earned the win in relief of Collin Gibbs. Weatherman threw three shutout innings, allowing two hits, to keep the Pirates within reach. Meuel (0-1) took the loss for Willamette, allowing the final three runs on four hits in 0.2 innings. The wins give the Pirates a 3-1 series victory over the Bearcats after the teams split Sunday's doubleheader, which was played in Kennewick, Washington. Whitworth, which has played only two games at its own field this season because of weather, will hit the road to take on George Fox University in a four game series next weekend. Willamette returns home to host Whitman College in another four game NWC series. |
