SPOKANE, Wash. -- A late-innings comeback prevented the Lewis & Clark Pioneers from a victory in the opening doubleheader of a four-game series with the Whitworth Pirates on Thursday at Merkel Field.

The Pirates scored in each of the last three innings to overcome a three-run deficit and win 8-7. Dylan Moore went 2 for 3 with a home run, one of three the Pios hit in the opener. Senior Jordan Gonzalez threw six innings in his final game for the Pios.

In the finale, Whitworth built a four-run lead through four innings on the way to a 5-3 win. Jack Thomson went 2 for 4 with two RBI.

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Key Moments | Game 1

Gonzalez gave up four runs including the first three of the fourth inning, in which the Pirates scored four times. He struck out one. Anthony Clerici threw 2 1/3 innings into the seventh and was replaced after allowing a single that was followed by a throwing error to give the Pirates two on with one out. Two singles in three at-bats brought the Pirates to within one at the end of the seventh.

In the eighth, the Pirates used a lead-off double and a sacrifice bunt to put the tying run at third base. Moore replaced Noah Ferruggia on the mound, and Whitworth tied the game with a sacrifice fly. In the ninth, a single, double, intentional walk and a walk-off base hit completed the Pirates come-from-behind win.

Sam Helms and Tyler Gannon joined Moore with a pair of hits. The teams combined for 25 hits in the game. Helms ended with three RBI with a three-run homer in the seventh that broke a 4-4 tie. Moore hit a lead-off home run to start the game, Sammy Benbow had a third-inning sacrifice fly and Zack Kon hit a home run in the sixth.

Key Moments | Game 2

Moore hit a double and had an RBI, while Thomson brought in two runs. Brett Pierson threw a complete game over six innings. He struck out five to finish his freshman campaign with 41, a team best.

Thomson tied the game at one with an RBI single in the second that scored Justin Bailey, who went 2 for 2 in the finale. Trailing 5-1 in the fifth, Moore and Thomson had RBI at-bats to bring the Pios back within two. 

Bailey hit a two-out single in the seventh followed by Moore's double to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Thomson struck out against Jarred Yara, who earned the save. Dylan Bishop picked up the win over 6 2/3 innings, eight hits and six strikeouts for Whitworth.

Looking Ahead

The teams close out the series beginning at noon on Friday.