PORTLAND, Ore. – Adrian Vela contributed four of Whitman College's nine hits Sunday afternoon as the Missionaries swept the three game series against Lewis and Clark College. After the first inning the Whits trailed for the first time all weekend, but bounced back to take a 5-3 victory. The series sweep is Whitman's first within Northwest Conference play since March of 2014 when they again swept the Pios.
 
Strong pitching continued for the Missionaries who turned to Garrett Atkinson in the final game of the series. Atkinson threw seven innings, allowing just one run and collecting five strikeouts. In the eighth inning Whitman (12-20, 7-11 NWC) turned to reliever Milo Mincin who eventually finished the game, allowing just one hit and registering the save.
 
Vela led the Whit charge offensively, going 4-for-5 at the plate and scored two runs. The five other Missionary hits were scattered across five batters who each delivered at a much needed time. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Whitman took the lead in the second. Anthony Lim and Paul Heywood both walked to open the inning and after Lucas Thrun's sacrifice bunt, both Lim and Heywood were in scoring position.
 
Jasper Crusberg reached on a Lewis and Clark (11-21, 3-15 NWC) error bringing Lim across the plate and tying the game 1-1. Jake Wishart drove a deep fly ball into foul territory later in the inning, which scored Heywood and put the Whits ahead by a run.
 
In the third inning Vela reached on a single and advanced to second on a Nick Johnson walk. Lim then delivered for the Missionaries with a double to left center, pushing the Whitman lead to two. After a scoreless four inning stretch, the Whits scored another run in the eighth; a run that would prove to be vastly important.
 
Vela again led off with a single which Johnson followed with a single of his own, advancing Vela to third. With one out, Thrun's sacrifice fly scored Vela and pushed Whitman to a 4-1 lead. The Pios made things a little uncomfortable for the Missionaries in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs and cutting into the Whit lead.
 
Joseph Zimmer added a security run in the top of the ninth with a home run to left center, giving Whitman their fifth and final run. Mincin threw a ground ball double-play to end the game and seal the win for the Whits, who proved to be completely dominant over the weekend.