SPOKANE, Wash. - Whitworth took over sole possession of first place in the Northwest Conference softball standings by completing a series sweep of visiting Pacific Lutheran on Sunday. The scores were 9-3 and 9-1.

Davis had four hits and drove in three runs

Senior catcher Lindsay Davis was Whitworth's (11-0 overall, 8-0 NWC) offensive star for the second day in a row, going 4 for 6 with three runs batted in and three runs scored.

Catcher Vanessa Bryant led PLU (6-4, 4-4) at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two runs batted in.

Game 1: Whitworth 9, Pacific Lutheran 3 - Box score
PLU led most of the game until Whitworth rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fifth and then added four more in the bottom of the sixth.

Heather Case picked up the win in relief of starter Jennifer Eckhoff, not allowing any runs on three hits in three innings. She struck out four and walked none.

The key moment of the game occurred in the top of the fifth inning. PLU loaded the bases against Case with one out, already leading 3-1. But Case induced Alana Schutt to bounce back to the mound, starting a 1-2-3 double play that ended the inning.

Whitworth took the momentum into the bottom of the inning. A walk and infield single off of Lute starter Hadley Schmitt gave the Pirates a pair of runners, but two outs only moved each one up one base. But Davis then singled down the left field line, driving in both runs to tie the game. Rachel Anderson ran for Davis, and scored when Schutt could not handle a throw from shortstop in Morgan Thomsen's at bat. Two more hits brought home Melodie Ratliff, who pinch ran for Thomsen, giving Whitworth a 5-3 lead.

David ignited another four run rally in the sixth with an RBI single to center field with two outs. Thomsen added a two-run single later in the inning, followed by an RBI single from Lacey Kerr, who was 3 for 3 with two runs batted in during the game.

Kerr gave Whitworth a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI double to center field. PLU responded in the top of the second when Bryant doubled to left center with two outs, driving in two runs. The Lutes added a run in the third on a two-out double by Schutt that drove home Carly Starke.

LaPlante improved to 6-0 as a starting pitcher

Schmitt (3-2) went the distance (6 innings) for PLU, allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits. She walked three and struck out two.

Game 2: Whitworth 9, Pacific Lutheran 1 - Box score
As in the first game, Whitworth pulled away late to put the game out of reach. The Pirates scored five runs in the last two innings to end the game in the bottom of the sixth with the eight-run rule.

Whitworth took advantage of six Lute errors, eight walks and three wild pitches to score nine runs on only six hits.

Jessie LaPlante allowed one run on six hits for Whitworth, while striking out five batters without a walk.

Lacey Parry doubled home Whitworth's first run in the first, and Kerr later scored on a wild pitch. The Pirates made it 3-0 in the third after two Lute errors loaded the bases for Amber Fowler, who hit into a fielder's choice but still brought home a run from third base.

Thomsen singled home Case for another Whitworth run in the fourth. PLU got on the board in the fifth when Starke drove home PLU pitcher Cassie Canales with a ground out to second base.

Whitworth then pulled away with two in the fifth, both coming on a single to center field by Jodi Schock, and three more in the sixth. In the sixth, an error, followed by four straight walks, scored two runs. Case ended the game with a hard shot to short, that wasn't fielded for the sixth Lute error of the game.

The Bucs now lead defending NWC Champion Linfield (7-1) by one game in the conference standings.

Up Next: The Pirates, off to the best start in school history, will take a week off before heading to California for Spring Break. In California Whitworth will play four teams that advanced to the 2006 NCAA Division III softball tournament. A doubleheader at 2006 NCAA Regional host Redlands on March 24th will be followed with single games against Chapman and Williams (Mass.) at the SunWest Tournament on March 25th. The trip ends with a doubleheader at LaVerne on the 26th.