Game 1: Whitworth 8, Pacific 4 (Complete
box and play by play)
SPOKANE, Wash. - Sara Rylaarsdam singled up the middle with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive in the tying and winning run and give Whitworth the sweep of a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader against visiting Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday afternoon at Marks Field. Rylaarsdam's hit capped a three run rally for Whitworth (2-2 overall, 2-0 NWC) that came after there were two out and gave the Pirates a 4-3 win in the second game. Whitworth defeated Pacific 8-4 in the first game. Senior Jo Sonnett earned both victories in the pitching circle for the Pirates. In the opening game, a bases-clearing double by Lindsay Davis in the bottom of the second inning capped a four run rally and gave Whitworth the cushion it would need to win 8-4. Mandee Edwards added an RBI single in the third that gave the Pirates a 5-1 lead. But Pacific rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth, including two runs on a double by catcher Caitlin Mastenbroek, to pull within 5-4. But Whitworth got two back in the bottom of the inning. Stephanie Helbling led off with a walk and scored without the benefit of a hit by stealing base twice and coming home on a passed ball. Edwards followed with a triple and scored on Jennifer Eckhoff's single. Whitworth added one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded ground out by Jodi Schock. Sonnett went the distance for Whitworth to earn the win, allowing two earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out seven without a walk. Pacific starter Amy Walters went 4+ innings (leaving after walking the leadoff batter in the fifth). She took the loss after giving up six runs on six hits and six walks. She struck out four Pirates. Andrea Bansen finished the game for Pacific. In the second contest, the Boxers (4-4 overall, 0-2 NWC) scored two quick runs off of Whitworth's Eckoff, who started the second game. Both came home on a double by Mastenbroek that missed clearing the outfield fence by less than two feet. Pacific added another run in the third when another Mastenbroek double drove home Trinity Smith. Bansen, who started the second game for the Boxers, allowed only two infield hits through five innings. But Heather Case led off the sixth with a double and scored on a double by Davis. Bansen retired the first two Pirates in the bottom of the seventh on ground outs. But Sonnett, who came on to pitch in the fourth inning, doubled and Case walked. Davis singled up the middle, but the runners could only go to second and third. The key play of the rally followed. Sarah Froman struck out swinging at a Bansen pitch in the dirt. Mastenbroek, playing catcher for Pacific, attempted to tag Sonnett coming home, rather than throw out Froman at first base. Sonnett slid safely and the Pirates were within one run with the bases still loaded. Rylaarsdam followed with the game winning hit. Sonnett picked up her second win of the day by pitching the final 3.2 innings and allowing only one hit. She struck out four and walked one. Bansen was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Pacific, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks. She struck out five Pirates. Mastenbroek was the hitting star of the day for Pacific. In the two games she went six for eight with three doubles and drove in six of the Boxers' seven runs in the doubleheader. Kristin Croxford had three hits and scored three runs for Pacific. Rylaarsdam finished the day four for six for the Pirates. Davis had three hits on the day and drove in four runs. The teams will complete the four game Northwest Conference series with a doubleheader on Sunday, beginning at Noon. |
