Game 1: Whitworth 2, Eastern Ore. 1 (Complete
box and play by play) SPOKANE, Wash. - Visiting Eastern Oregon outhit Whitworth 12-9 on Sunday, but the Pirates used nine walks and five Mountaineer errors to come away with 2-1 and 13-5 victories in a non-conference softball doubleheader at Marks Field.
Jo Sonnett threw a complete game four hitter in the first game, then tossed 4.1 innings of shutout relief in the second contest to pick up both wins in the circle for the Pirates, who improved to 7-5. Eastern fell to 3-11. Whitworth scored single runs in the first two innings of the opening game, then held on for the 2-1 victory. Kristin Hanson doubled in the first inning then scored on Sarah Froman's sacrifice fly to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Hansen then drove in the second run after she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the second. The run was unearned. Sonnett allowed a run in the third inning after Jessica Snyder doubled to center field and then later scored on a throwing error at shortstop. Sonnett then worked out of a jam in the fourth when she did not allow Tara Peerenboom to score from third base with one out after Peerenboom led off with a double. The Mountaineers would not threaten again. Sonnett allowed one run on four hits and three walks. She struck out nine batters. Kelly West took the loss for Eastern, allowing two runs (one earned) on only three hits with three walks. She struck out two and hit two batters. The second game began with ten runs scored in the first two innings. The teams were tied 5-5 through two, however, Whitworth scored its five on only three runs. Eastern strung together four straight singles with two out in the first to plate two runs. Leanne Foster and Peerenboom had the RBI's. Whitworth scored three in the bottom half on only one run. After walking the bases loaded, Whitworth scored two runs on an error at short stop and a single by Rachel Anderson. In the second inning Eastern scored three unearned runs. With two outs and a runner on, a throw from third base got away and Heather Tandberg scored. Hannah Shelley and Foster followed with RBI hits to drive in two more runs and chase Pirate starting pitcher Jennifer Eckhoff. Whitworth tied the game in the bottom half when Amy Mattie scored on a ground out and Heather Case singled home a run. After Sonnett replaced Eckhoff, she allowed two hits and a walk and struck out six over the final 4.1 innings. Eastern had the bases loaded in the fourth with nobody out before Sonnett got a force at home and two strikeouts to end the threat. Whitworth scored six times in the fifth inning on only two hits. A double and two walks loaded the bases before Sarah Rylaarsdam was hit by a pitch. Anderson doubled home two more, missing a home run by three feet. Another run came home on a fielder's choice when the throw to the plate was late. A double steal lead to another Pirate run and Lindsay Davis brought home the final run with a sacrifice fly. Rylaarsdam ended the game in dramatic fashion in the sixth inning with a two-run home run that caused the eight-run mercy rule to take effect. It was Rylaarsdam's first home run of the season. Whitworth will now travel to California for four games at the SunWest Tournament, hosted by Chapman University, and a doubleheader at NAIA Vanguard University. At the SunWest, the Pirates will open against NCAA Division III west region foe Cal State East Bay and host Chapman on Wednesday before playing perennial NCAA tournament participants Williams (Mass.) and St. Thomas (Minn.) on Thursday. The Vanguard doubleheader will be on Friday. |
