McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Pacific Lutheran turned the tide in a series that had been going Linfield's way, edging the host Wildcats 4-3 in a 10-inning resumed game before handling their NWC rivals 9-4 in the eight-inning rubber match as weather considered to wreak havoc on the two clubs Sunday at Roy Helser Field.
 
The Lutes (9-3, 7-2 NWC) rallied from an early 1-0 deficit in Game 2 and led essentially from start to finish of a four-hour, rain-delayed battle to secure the series and take over sole possession of second place in the league standings. Linfield slipped to third at 7-6 overall and 5-4 within league play. The Wildcats left 22 runners stranded on the day.
 
GAME 2: PLU 4, Linfield 3 – 10 innings
Landon Packard's 10th-inning leadoff single set up the go-ahead run, and the Lutes plated two in all during the extra frame to knot the series in a game that was completed Sunday due to poor weather that moved in late Saturday afternoon. 
 
Riley Newman rang up a career-high 10 strikeouts in what would have been the first complete game thrown by a Wildcat pitcher this season. In nine innings of work, he surrendered 10 hits and two walks but otherwise kept the Lutes in check.
 
Pacific Lutheran's Cole Johnson slid over to the mound from first base in the bottom of the 10^th and registered the final two outs of the game for the save.   
 
Linfield owned a 1-0 advantage after one thanks to Hilpert's solo home run Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lutes gained their first lead of the series with a two-run fifth. Catcher Matt Vick led off with a single, and a throwing error on an attempted double play ball gave PLU a pair of runners. A bunt advanced both into scoring position, and Jacob Bockelie dropped a double deep in left-field territory to score one and make it a 2-1 game, advantage Lutes. Kory VanderStaay nearly plated the go-ahead run, but an impressive throw from Wildcat left fielder Jared Evans was in time for Ryan Pladson to tag Bockelie as he slide home.
 
PLU's advantage lasted but a moment. Scott Hilpert bit on the first pitch of the fifth inning thrown by Chad Gideon and sent it over the left-field fence, knotting the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Both clubs had chances to end things early yet failed to manufacture a run over the next four frames. Anthony Gosline nearly sent one out of the park in the top of the ninth, but the wind regulated the hit to a double off the right-field fence and he was left stranded thanks to two more Newman strikeouts to end the inning. 
 
The Lutes scored twice in the decisive 10^th inning. Packard sparked the offense with a leadoff single, advanced on Bockelie's sacrifice and home on VanderStaay's right-field single. Johnson followed up with another base hit, and a wild pitch allowed VanderStaay to score what was the eventual game-winning run. 
 
Consecutive walks gave Linfield hope in the bottom of the 10^th. Levi Horner-Villa plated Pladson with base hit through the left side, bringing the 'Cats within one, but Johnson set up a strikeout and game-ending double play to preserve the Lutes' slim advantage.
 
GAME 3: PLU 9, Linfield 4 – 8 innings
Pacific Lutheran used multiple-run innings in the second, third and fifth frames to deny the 'Cats a win for the second straight game.
 
The Lutes drove lefty starter David Brosius from the game in the second inning, capitalizing on two walks and a hit batter to plate two early runs. Packard and VanderStaay delivered RBI singles as PLU got out to a hot start.
 
Linfield equalized in the second thanks to a single and double from Horner-Villa and Ryan Ross followed up with consecutive walks. Brady Rediger sent a one-out single to center field, pushing across Ross for the tying run before Johnson and the Lutes escaped a bases-loaded situation with a double play to turn over the scorecard.
 
PLU kept the offense churning in the third, gaining a 5-2 advantage. Vick drove a one-out double to left center, Connor Cantu came through with an RBI groundout and Ben Welch and Packard followed up with two more RBI base hits to the outfield.
 
A rain-snow mix suspended play for the next hour, and Linfield took advantage of the opportunity to regroup. The 'Cats pulled within two, 5-3, on Ross' sacrifice fly, but got no closer due in part to a nifty glove-flip 643 double play that spoiled a potentially game-tying situation.
 
Some serious two-out damage in the fifth helped the Lutes extend their lead to 9-3. VanderStaay and Johnson drove in three runs in back-to-back plate appearances.
 
Linfield another opportunity to cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth, but could do no better than a Ben Andrews RBI double, leaving a pair of runners stranded on base and trailing 9-4.
 
Entering the game to start the fourth inning, Andrew Curran earned the pitching victory on five complete innings of work.
 
Action was finally called in the middle of the ninth inning, with statistics considered final after the completion of the eighth.
 
NEXT: With a makeup game against Pacific being pushed back from Tuesday to later in the month, Linfield returns to action with another three-game conference series beginning Saturday at Puget Sound.