ANAHEIM, Calif. - Lacey Kerr homered, doubled and drove in three runs to lead Whitworth to an 8-2 win over La Sierra in the first of two games for the Pirates at the Sun West Softball Tournament on Wednesday. The Pirates then pushed 4th-ranked St. Thomas for five innings before the Tommies rallied late for a 6-2 win.

Whitworth is now 2-2 in the Sun West Tournament and 5-11 overall.

Whitworth 8, La Sierra 2 - box score and play by play
The Pirates scored in five of their six innings at-bat to steadily pull away from the Eagles. Kelsey Ayers pitched the Pirates to victory, allowing two runs on only five hits while striking out a career-high 10 batters.

Whitworth scored its first two runs on a couple of La Sierra errors in the first inning, then another in the second without the benefit of a hit. Sara Rylaarsdam doubled home a run in the third inning for a 4-1 Pirate lead.

After the Eagles closed to within 4-2, Kerr doubled home a run in the bottom of the fourth to key a two-run rally, then hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth for the final Pirate runs.

Kerr was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while McKenzie Stuby also had two hits and scored twice.

St. Thomas 6, Whitworth 2 - box score and play by play
The Pirates led the 4th-ranked Tommies 1-0 through five innings on Wednesday, the St. Thomas rallied in the final two innings to pick up the win.

Kerr had another big game for the Pirates, going 4 for 4 at the plate and accounting for both of Whitworth's runs. She led off the bottom of the first with a double then came around to score on a throwing error. She then singled home the final run in the bottom of the seventh.

Jessica Mangis blanked the Tommies on only three hits through five innings. But St. Thomas broke through with three runs each in the sixth and the seventh to pull away.

The Pirates will conclude their six-game set at the Sun West Tournament on Thursday, taking on Hamline (Minn.) and Carleton (Minn.). Whitworth has already defeated Carleton at the tournament.