McMINNVILLE, Ore. – A pitchers' duel and a one-side rout. The Linfield Wildcats had it both ways Wednesday in a Northwest Conference sweep of the Pacific Lutheran Lutes at Del Smith Stadium.
Cheyenne Fletcher homered in the 11th inning to break a scoreless standoff in the opener and
Paige Smotherman blasted a grand slam homer to put the exclamation point on a 13-2 Game 2 victory, shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule.
The games were rescheduled from a postponed March 24 twinbill.
Linfield (22-6, 14-2 NWC) extended its current winning streak to nine games while preventing PLU (8-18, 3-13 NWC) from breaking its own 11-game losing slide.
GAME 1: Linfield 1, Pacific Lutheran 0, 11 innings
Cheyenne Fletcher blasted her fifth home run of the season over the left-center field wall, ending the opener in grand fashion.
The two-hour, 15-minute pitchers' duel featured showcase pitching by Linfield's
Shelby Saylors and PLU's Marissa Miller. Both hurlers went the distance, combining for 12 strikeouts, including seven by Miller.
Saylors raised her season record to 9-5. Miller dropped to 4-9 with the loss.
Linfield's best opportunity to end the game came in the eighth inning when the 'Cats loaded the bases but pinch hitter
Tanna Benson fouled out, stranding all three runners.
PLU twice put a runner in scoring position with two outs. In the second, Delaney Salter grounded out to squelch the threat and in the 11
th, Anna Overland's ball to center field was caught by Fletcher in center field, ending the inning.
PLU outhit Linfield 8-3 with Fletcher,
Jacinda Swiger and
Melanie Oord accounting for Linfield's only hits. Overland, Becca Sorensen and Bailey Plumb all had two hits to pace the Lutes at the plate.
GAME 2: Linfield 13, Pacific Lutheran 2
The Lutes loaded the bases on Rossman with one out in the bottom of the second inning, but Elise Freund was forced out at home plate and Bailey Plumb lined out into the glove of Wildcats shortstop
Makenna Clizer.
Linfield rung up six hits and four runs in bottom of the inning, starting with Clizer's two-run home run to left field off the pitch of Lutes starter Kennedy Robillard.
Chelsea Horita followed with a single before
Jessica Woodruff drilled an RBI single to center field. Swiger followed with a bloop single to left, scoring Woodruff from second base.
The 'Cats plated nine runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach. Fletcher delivered a two-run single and
Melanie Oord followed with a RBI double, scoring Fletcher.
Emily Allen added a sacrifice fly to right field, plating pinch runner
Alana Nuttman. Woodruff bounced an infield single, scoring
Darian Stedman from third. With the bases loaded,
Paige Smotherman blasted a grand slam home run to left field, making the score 13-0.
PLU broke up Linfield's shutout bid in the fifth when Robillard singled to left field, scoring Plumb.
Linfield outhit PLU 17-6.
Woodruff went 3 for 3, scored three times and drove in a pair of runs. Swiger, Oord, Stedman, Clizer, Horita and Smotherman all had two hits in the game.
Linfield starter
Eliza Rossman remained unbeaten in the pitching circle, improving to 13-0. She allowed four hits and one walk with one strikeout.
Tanna Benson closed the game, giving up two hits and a pair of walks.
Overland and Fruend both had two hits for the Lutes.
Robillard (4-7) took the loss. She gave up 11 hits and one walk in 3 1/3 innings.
Next
Linfield takes its longest conference road trip of the season Friday and Saturday when the 'Cats visit Spokane, Washington for a four-game series at Whitworth. Doubleheaders start at noon both days.
