The Whitman men faced off against Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash. last weekend, May 1-2, in a three-game weekend series. The first game of Saturday’s double-header ended in a steep 2-15 loss, as the Missionaries struggled to get on the board until the seventh inning. The second game on Saturday proved to be slightly more interesting as the Missionaries blew a 2-1 lead at the top of the third en route to a 4-8 loss. It was a similar story for Whitman in Sunday’s capper, as they gave up five runs in three innings to, again, blow a 2-1 lead after the top of the third, ultimately losing 6-2.
In game one, sophomore Eric Tolleson got the start. He had a rough outing, allowing six earned runs on eight hits in only three innings of work. He left the game with the Missionaries trailing 0-8. After taking over in the fourth, senior Joe Rodhouse closed the game out. In five innings of work, he also allowed six earned runs and 12 hits.
Conversely, Whitworth’s pitching was stellar, as the Pirates’ starter, Nick Combo, shut down the Missionaries for the first six innings, only allowing one run and four hits. In the top of the seventh inning, senior Blaine Mercado doubled to right center for an RBI scored by junior Erik Korsmo. By the ninth inning, trailing Whitworth 15-1, Tolleson scored on a single from senior Jason Sease.
“[Combo] was hitting his spots. He wasn’t an overpowering pitcher. [Those] are rare in the Northwest Conference,” said Korsmo. “The other thing he did was change speeds with his change ups and fast balls. If you can do that, you’ll be successful.”
Game two was significantly closer as Whitworth beat Whitman 8-4. Korsmo began the game on the mound for the Missionaries. He lasted four innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits. An early 2-1 lead was blown in the bottom of the third inning when Korsmo walked two Whitworth hitters. Korsmo picked off one, while the other reached home on an infield error. That, coupled with a two-run shot over the fences, put the Pirates ahead 4-2.
Whitman’s bats stayed silent for much of the rest of the game. In the top of the fifth, first-year Justin Weeks managed to score one unearned run due to two errors made by Whitworth’s infield. In the top of the ninth, Sease made it around the bases on an error by the pitcher and two ground-outs: the RBI coming from Weeks.
First-year John Nortz replaced Korsmo after the fourth and took the mound for the remainder of the game, only allowing two runs on five hits.
Sunday’s series finale also marked the end of the season, with the third game against Whitworth resulting in a 2-6 loss. The Missionaries jumped out to an early 2-1 lead and held on to it for first four innings. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold on, as the Pirates scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Offensively, Korsmo made a push for Whitman, with a single in the first inning along with junior Jay Richards and an RBI at the top of the third that allowed Richards to score. Additionally, Korsmo’s performance at bat this year put him at the top of Whitman’s top batting average for the second year in a row.
With two outstanding wins under his belt this season, Mercado got the start in his final college game, going the distance, and giving up five earned runs on 11 hits. At bat, Mercado shined in the third with a doubled to left center, but the rally was cut short as the next hitter ended the inning with a ground-0ut to third.
Whitworth managed to shake up the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, busting open Mercado for three runs. The 4-2 gap continued to widen for the rest of the game as the Missionaries were unable to keep up with the Pirates, who scored one run in both the sixth and the eighth innings.
This past weekend, five seniors; including Mercado, Rodhouse, Sease and senior Mitch Hannoosh played their final game in a Whitman uniform, while senior captain Brian Kitamura looked on, sidelined by season-ending ACL injury a few months back. However, all five spent their last season with a team that is undoubtedly in a transitional period. Under the new leadership of Coach Jared Holowaty, the team is hopeful for a better season next year.
“I’m really excited to come back because of the freshman base,” said Korsmo “Coach Holowaty is a great recruiter and has a great group coming in. At the beginning of this season, we told ourselves we were going to be the first class that would change our program, and now we can build on that.”
Whitman ended its season 4-20 in the Northwest Conference and 5-34 overall.
