McMINNVILLE, Ore. – A 12-run third inning by the Linfield Wildcats put the exclamation point on a four-game Northwest Conference sweep of the Willamette Bearcats Sunday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.
The Wildcats blazed by the Bearcats on the way to a pair of run-rule shortened games on Saturday. Things didn't get any better for Willamette on Sunday as Linfield piled up 24 runs during an abbreviated twinbill, winning the opener 12-4 in six innings and the nightcap 12-1 in five innings.
Linfield raised its season record to 18-6 and 10-2 in the NWC. Willamette slid to 2-11 overall, 2-8 in conference action.
GAME 1: Linfield 12, Willamette 4, 6 innings
Darian Stedman's walk-off home run to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning ended the game on the eight-run rule. It was Stedman's fifth homer of the season and capped a modest comeback that saw the Wildcats climb from a one-run deficit in the middle innings.
Stedman,
Emily Allen and
Paige Smotherman all sent balls over the outfield wall as Linfield piled up a dozen hits. Stedman, Smotherman,
Jacinda Swiger,
Melanie Oord, and
Jessica Woodruff each had two hits.
Allen produced just one hit, but it went for her third home run of the season. She scored three times.
Shelby Saylors (7-5) earned her second pitching win of the weekend, yielding four hits and two walks over six innings.
Bearcats starter Reanna Lancaster (1-2) lasted four innings and was charged with the loss.
Allen, Woodruff,
Cheyenne Fletcher and
Kelsey Wilkinson all recorded stolen bases in the contest.
GAME 2: Linfield 12, Willamette 1, 5 innings
Spotting Willamette a 1-0 first-inning lead, Linfield exploded for 12 runs in the third. The game-altering inning featured RBIs by Woodruff,
Chelsea Horita and Oord, plus six Bearcats errors.
The game included a 47-minute rain delay in the fourth inning, only prolonging the inevitable result. As play resumed, Linfield loaded the bases on Hillmick but the freshman Bearcat struck out pinch hitter
Shakayla Snyder to keep the score 12-1.
Oord went 2 for 3 and drove in a pair of runs. Woodruff also had a two RBIs.
With plenty of run support, Wildcats starter
Eliza Rossman easily chalked up her 11th win of the season against no losses. The recent Bellingham High School graduate pitched four innings, allowing four hits and three walks. She struck out four Bearcats.
Tanna Benson closed the game in the circle for the 'Cats.
WU starter Jocelyn Glasgo (1-5) absorbed the loss. She gave up five earned runs and five hits over 2.1 innings.
Next
Linfield entertains Pacific Lutheran in a four-game NWC weekend series Saturday and Sunday at Del Smith Stadium. Action begins at noon both days.
