LOS ANGELES – Led by the pitching of
Ethan Jones and 18 hits, the Linfield Wildcats finished their first road trip of the season with a one-sided 9-1 win over the Occidental Tigers.
How it played out
Jumping to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first frame, Linfield gave Jones a comfortable lead with which to work.
Joey Cassano ripped a single to center field that scored
Brady Rediger just two batters into the game.
Jake Dennis then brought home Cassano with a single to right field. A double by
Jake Gellos scored both Alex-Hendra Brown and Dennis to cap the top of the first.
Linfield added to its lead as
Jared Evans doubled to bring in Hendra-Brown for a second time. With Jones still in the game heading to the sixth inning, Linfield owned a 6-0 lead.
Ryan Ross continued his hot hitting with an RBI single that brought home Gellos and extended the lead to seven. The Tigers got on the board when Jack Brancheau singled up the middle to bring in Reid Gibbs, who led the inning off with a walk. Answering again in the seventh, Linfield padded its lead with two more runs. Dennis scored on an
Ayden Allen fielder's choice and Rediger doubled to plate Evans. The Wildcats went on to win as
Dylan Peters threw the final two-plus innings of no-hit ball.
Linfield at the plate
Wildcat hitters totaled 18 hits on the day. Cassano and Hendra-Brown paced the Wildcat offense with three apiece. Ross added another multi-hit performance (2-4). Evans and Gellos shared the club lead with two RBIs apiece, both also had doubles. 10 different Wildcats reached with a hit, six with multiple hits.
Wildcats on the mound
Jones dazzled in his first start of the season. The sophomore spun 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts while allowing just one run on two hits in his second career start. Peters came in relief for the second time on the road trip. He threw the final 2.1 innings where he did not allow a hit and struck out three.
Oxy in the box
The Tigers lineup did not have an answer for Jones, who was making just his second career start. Brancheau and Bryan Smith were the only batters to reach base on a hit. Brancheau scored Gibbs on a RBI single to center in the sixth for the Tigers' only run.
Tigers on the rubber
Occidental starter Josh Cohen was touched up early. He surrendered 10 hits over the first three innings as the Wildcats scored six runs. Will Martell pitched two innings in relief, giving up three hits and striking out four but Linfield added another run to its lead as well. Nolan McCarthy threw in the sixth and seventh. Linfield plated its final two runs on three hits.
Next
Linfield (2-2) will serve as one of three tournament sites for the Oregon NWC Classic, which starts Saturday and continues on Sunday. The Wildcats face the Whitman Blues Saturday at 2 p.m at Roy Helser Field then play the Puget Sound Loggers at 5 p.m. On Sunday, Linfield hosts Whitworth at 2 o'clock followed by a matchup with Pacific Lutheran at 5.
