ANAHEIM, Calif. - Rachel Anderson hit a three-run home run, while Ashley Carey had three hits and scored three times to lead Whitworth to a 16-2 win over Carleton (Minn.) and a split on its first day at the Sun West Softball Tournament, hosted by Chapman University. The Pirates lost 8-7 to the host Panthers in their second game on Monday.

Whitworth is now 4-10 this season, but has settled after a 1-7 start.

Whitworth 16, Carleton 2 (5 inn.) - box score and play by play
The Pirates only needed four innings to post 16 runs against the Knights in a game shorted to five innings by the eight-run rule.

Leading 4-1 in the bottom of the third, Whitworth exploded for 10 runs to put the game away. McKenzie Stuby had a two-run triple and Anderson hit her three-run bomb to highlight the inning. It was her first home run of the season.

Jessica Mangis pitched all five innings, allowing no earned runs on five hits. She struck out three and walked four to improve to 3-4.

Carey was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Sara Rylaarsdam went 3 for 3 with a run driven in and two scored. Anderson and Stuby each led the team with three RBIs.

Chapman 8, Whitworth 7 - box score and play by play
Both Carey and Caitlyn Doherty hit three run home runs as Whitworth nearly pulled off an upset of the hosts, but the Bucs gave up the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning of a back and forth contest.

The Pirates led 3-1, then fell behind 7-3 before rallying to tie with four runs in the top of the sixth.

Carey's three-run home run gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead in the top of the third. But the Panthers scored five runs, four unearned, in the bottom of the inning. A lead off home run in the fourth inning extended Chapman's lead to four.

Whitworth's sixth-inning rally began when Shannon Carlon, who had doubled to open the frame, scored on Carrie Gibson's ground out. Later in the inning Doherty homered to left field, driving in three runs.

The winning run in the bottom of the inning came on a seeing-eye single through the left side with two outs.

Caty Lieseke had three hits for the Pirates, while Carey and Doherty led the way with three RBIs each. Mangis pitched the final 3.1 innings and gave up only two runs, but absorbed the loss to fall to 3-5.

The Pirates will take Tuesday off before taking on LaSierra (Calif.) and 4th-ranked St. Thomas (Minn.) on Wednesday at the Sun West Tournament.