NEWBERG, Ore. – Northwest Conference championship contenders George Fox and Linfield squared off Saturday in key Northwest Conference series at Morse Field. The result: A split decision with the Bruins capitalizing on a walk-off home run to win the opener 6-3 before Linfield outscored George Fox 5-3 in the nightcap.
 
The two Yamhill County neighbors meet for two more games Sunday starting at noon.
 
GAME 1: George Fox 6, Linfield 3
Aaliyah Kautz's three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning propelled the Bruins to the opening-game win.
 
George Fox outhit Linfield 9-6 but the Bruins left six runners stranded compared to the Wildcats four.
 
Leadoff hitter Jacinda Swiger went 2 for 4 to pace Linfield offensively. Emily Allen and Makenna Clizer each swatted doubles in the contest.
 
Shelby Saylors (4-4) went the distance in the circle. Though she held the Bruins in check for nearly the entire contest, she walked three and came short of logging a single strikeout.
 
Madison Sorensen (8-1) picked up the pitching win for George Fox. Sorensen struck out six, walked one and yielded just two earned runs.
 
Kautz and Becka Pridmore both had multiple hits for the Bruins.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 5, George Fox 3
Darian Stedman's two-run single in the eighth inning was the difference for Linfield in the nightcap.
 
As the designated player, Stedman enjoyed a monster game, going 3 for 4 with a home run and four RBI. Cheyenne Fletcher and Emily Allen also had two hits each as the 'Cats outhit the Bruins 9-3.
 
Freshman pitcher Eliza Rossman kept George Fox on its heels, striking out four while walking three Bruins. She picked up her eighth win of the season against no losses.
 
Linfield plated three runs in the first inning. The Wildcats' three-run lead stood until Savannah Vargus hammered a game-tying home run off Rossman in the bottom of the seventh.