NEWBERG, Ore. – Finally with a couple of outside practices under the belt, the Whitworth University softball responded with its best back-to-back games of the season, sweeping George Fox University in a Northwest Conference doubleheader. The Pirates won the opener 13-3 in five innings, and exploded for 11 runs in the seventh inning of the nightcap to win 13-0.

Game 1 - Box Score

Trailing 2-1 in the opener, Whitworth broke the game open in the third inning with an eight run rally. Amber Fowler's grand slam capped the outburst that gave Whitworth a 9-2 lead. The Bucs then added four more runs in the fourth inning to create the eight-run advantage that shortened the game to five innings.

Jessie LaPlante improved to 3-5 with five innings pitched, allowing three runs (only one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts.

Fowler, Halley Cey and Lacey Parry each had a pair of hits for the Pirates. Parry drove in three runs, while Cey had two runs batted in.

Game 2 - Box Score

Freshman Jessica Mangis dominated the second game in the circle. She did not give up a hit until the 7th inning and at that point the game was called because of heavy rain and hail. She finished with a six-inning one-hitter with six strikeouts.

The Pirates were held to two runs through six innings, despite 10 hits to that point. Then the dam broke as Whitworth scored 11 in the top of the seventh. Parry and Mandee Edwards each hit grand slam home runs for the Pirates during the rally. Cey sparked Whitworth with four hits in the game.

Whitworth and George Fox will conclude the series on Sunday with another doubleheader.