Game 1: Whitworth 1, Puget Sound 0 (Complete box and play by play)
Game 2: Whitworth 3, Puget Sound 2, 9 inn. (Complete box and play by play)

Sonnett earned two wins and drove in two runs

SPOKANE, Wash. - Jo Sonnett pitched almost nine innings of shutout softball and drove home the game winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Whitworth to a come-from-behind second-game win and a sweep over visiting Puget Sound in a Northwest double header on Saturday afternoon at Marks Field. Sonnett tossed a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 first game and 1.2 innings of relief in the 3-2 second game, which went into extra innings thanks to a dramatic home run by Sara Rylaarsdam.

Whitworth scored the only run of the first game when Jessica Roberts walked Sonnett with the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. The run was unearned and came without the Pirates picking up a hit.

Roberts and Sonnett then traded zeros on the scoreboard for the rest of the game. Sonnett allowed only two singles, while Whitworth only scratched out three hits against Roberts the rest of the way. Sonnett improved to 11-4 after striking out 10 Loggers and walking two. Roberts (3-1) dropped her first decision of the season while striking out two and walking three.

UPS went ahead 1-0 in the first inning of the second game against Whitworth starter Jennifer Eckhoff after Lindsay Fujita walked to open the game and was doubled home by Hailey Gee. The Loggers went up 2-0 in the top of the fifth after Gee single, moved to third on a passed ball and ground out, then scored on a wild pitch.

Whitworth got the run back in the bottom of the fifth when Heather Case singled home Nikki Cavalier, but Case was thrown out at third base ending the Pirate rally.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Rylaarsdam drove a ball over the right field wall to tie the game. But Victoria Raeburn retired the side for the Loggers to force extra innings.

Sonnett came in to pitch with one out in the eighth inning and one Logger on base. She retired the next two batters. While Whitworth was able to load the bases and force Raeburn from the game in the eighth inning, Adriane Herlache came in to get the Loggers out of the jam.

Whitworth scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth after Rylaarsdam reached on a throwing error. She was sacrificed to second base, and with two outs Sonnett drove a ball to the right centerfield wall to drive Rylaarsdam home easily.

Whitworth starting pitcher Jennifer Eckhoff went 7.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. She struck out two. Sonnett earned the victory in 1.2 innings of hitless relief. Raeburn went 7.1 innings for UPS, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk, with four strikeouts. Herlache (6-4) took the loss after 1.1 innings of relief. She allowed one run (unearned) on two hits.

Whitworth won its sixth straight game, a season-high, and improved to 16-8 overall and 11-3 in the NWC. UPS fell to 16-8 and 6-6 in the conference. The teams will complete the four game series with another doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, beginning at Noon.