SPOKANE, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University softball squad was unable to replicate the success of Saturday, dropping both ends of a Sunday doubleheader to Northwest Conference rival Whitworth University to settle for the series split. The Pirates took the opener 7-2 before squeaking out an 8-6 victory in the nightcap at Diana Marks Field.

In the opener, the host Pirates (8-14, 6-4 NWC) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. The Lutes (8-16, 5-11 NWC) got on the board in the fourth inning with a Nanea Kalama groundout scoring Mari Foster who led off the inning with a double. PLU had the tying run at the plate later in the inning but a popup ended the rally prematurely. Whitworth added three more runs in the fourth and an insurance run in the sixth to take a 7-1 advantage.

An Erin McGrath two-out single scored Cailey Collado in the top of the seventh but an infield fly ended the rally, giving Whitworth the 7-2 win.

Chaella Galapon and Foster both finished with two hits to lead the Lutes at the plate. Kennedy Robillard absorbed the loss inside the circle, striking out four in 3 1/3 innings of work. Molly House closed out the game, tossing 2 2/3 innings with one strikeout.

In game two the Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning before a Shanelle Lum RBI double scored Foster to tied the game in the top of the second inning.

Whitworth strick again with two runs in the third while a Casey Wright infield single scored Galapon in the third, closing the gap to 3-2. The Pirates earned more separation with two runs in both the third and fourth innings for the 7-2 edge.

PLU whittled the gap to just two runs in the fifth with McGrath, Casey Wright, and Foster all generating RBIs.

Whitworth added a solo home run in the fifth while in the seventh Foster blasted a solo home run to narrow the deficit to 8-6. A Kalama single and a Taylor Shigeta walk put the winning run at the plate with two outs before a lineout allowed the Pirates to escape with the victory.

Foster finished the series finale with two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored while Galapon was two-for-four with two runs scored.

The Lutes return to the diamond on Saturday, hosting NWC rival Lewis & Clark College at PLU Field.