CLAREMONT, Calif. / ORANGE, Calif. – Facing two of the top NCAA Division III teams in Southern California, Whitworth University dropped a pair of 4-2 decisions, the first at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and the second at Chapman University.

Claremont-M-S 4, Whitworth 2 - Box Score

Whitworth rallied in the seventh inning for two runs after falling behind 4-0 after three innings. But the rally fell short and the Pirates dropped the game to the Athenas (13-5).

Lacey Kerr singled home Sara Rylaarsdam with Whitworth's first run in the top of the seventh inning. Halley Cey later scored on a ground out by Lacey Parry. But C-M-S was able to end the rally with the tying run at the plate.

Cey and Amber Fowler each finished with two hits for the Pirates. Jessie LaPlante started the game in the circle and allowed four runs (three earned) in 3.0 innings. She gave up five hits, walked two and struck out three. Jessica Mangis and Kelsey Ayers combined to pitch three innings of one-hit relief.

Chapman 4, Whitworth 2 - Box Score

Whitworth was the team that jumped to the early lead against the Panthers. The Pirates scored a run in the first when Cey, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on Morgan Thomsen's groundout. Whitworth went back in front 2-1 in the third when Kerr doubled with two outs and scored on Parry's single.

But while Whitworth was able to get a runner on base in each of the next three innings, they could not score again. Meanwhile Chapman rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning for the 4-2 win.

Kerr had two of the Pirates' six hits. LaPlante went the distance, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits. She struck out two and walked one.

Whitworth will play its final two games at the the SunWest Tournament on Wednesday, taking on Wellesley and Williams. The spring break trip to California will end with a doubleheader at Point Loma Nazarene on Thursday.