WALLA WALLA, Wash.  Whitman captured the opener of Sunday's doubleheader against visiting George Fox University, 3-1, by generating each of its runs from extra-base hits, including Joseph Zimmer's third-inning home run. The Bruins got even in the nightcap, tagging Blues pitching for six runs in a 6-0 win in Northwest Conference baseball action at Borleske Stadium.

Starting pitcher Nick Johnson kept the visitors at bay while Whitman (10-10, 5-5 NWC) was scoring single runs in three separate innings during Game 1, limiting Fox (6-13, 5-9) to its one run on eight hits while striking out three and not allowing a walk.

Lucas Thrun opened the bottom half of the second with a double into the gap in left-center field, then moved over a base on an infield ground out. Jake Wishart's infield single allowed Thrun to finish his circuit for the game's first run.

Zimmer launched a bomb into the trees behind the left field fence with one out in the third to up the lead. It was the pre-season All-American's third home run of the season.

Fox halved its deficit in the top of the six but Johnson picked up great fielding behind him to close the door. Jake Wishart speared a one-out liner into short-center field then gunned down a base-runner at first who had strayed too far toward second on contact.

Whitman picked up an insurance run for Johnson in the bottom of the eighth after Zimmer led off the frame with a double down the left-field line. Brett Williams bunted Zimmer over to third where he was able to race home for the final run on Adrian Vela's ground out deep in the hole at shortstop.

The run brought Johnson back out of the dugout for the ninth, where he picked up a foul pop-up for the first out, then allowed a soft single to left before fanning Fox's Andrew Reichenbach for the second out. He enticed Kyle Esquerra into an easy fly out to Wishart to finish off the complete-game victory.

Zimmer, Williams, Thrun and Wishart each collected two hits in the win by Johnson (2-1). Bruins starter Dustin Wells (2-4) took the loss after allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk.

Early innings of Game 2 saw Whitman gain a pair of base runners in the first and third innings without scoring, while Fox picked up a pair of runs in the top of the third on a one-out home run by Matt Voelzke off Blues starter Travis Craven.

Whitman stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the sixth, which could have put some pressure on the Bruins. However, the visitors happily took their escape and followed with a three-run seventh to break the game open.

Fox added one more in the next inning after Whitman left two more runners stranded in the bottom of the seventh.

Craven (1-2) took the loss for Whitman while Fox starter Alex Jondal (2-3) picked up the win.

The teams at back at Borleske Monday at 11 a.m. for the series finale.