McMINNVILLE, Ore. – After falling to the Pacific Boxers 5-1 in Game 1 on Friday afternoon, the Linfield Wildcats battled back to claim the second game of the Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader, 2-1. Minimal offense and quality defense by both sides made for a pair of low-scoring games at Roy Helser Field in front of an robust Spring Break crowd.
Drawing a split, Linfield is now 15-14 overall on the season, 9-8 in the NWC. Pacific pushed its record to 13-14 overall and 8-12 in the NWC.
GAME 1: Pacific 5, Linfield 1
Starting pitchers
Cason Cunningham (Linfield) and Casey Brown (Pacific) spun their way through the opposing order without allowing a run through the first three frames.
Pacific got on the scoreboard first when Derek Ridgway singled to center field to bring in Dylan Wright from third base. Chase Anderson delivered the second run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left that allowed Joey Galeno to score from third.
The Boxers tagged on another run when Dylan Wright hit a towering sacrifice fly to center that brought home Dustin Meyer in the fifth, making it 3-0 Pacific.
Jake Gellos placed a double down the left-field line in the fifth to end a no-hit bid for Brown. A single through the left side by
Brady Rediger scored Gellos and gave the 'Cats their first run of the game.
Lengthening its lead in the seventh, Pacific added two runs. A shallow line drive dropped in left field off the bat of Dylan Wright, scoring Meyer for the second time. Geleno drove in a run on a slap single through the left side past the outstretched glove of
Joey Cassano at short.
Brown had his best outing of the season for the Boxers. He threw a complete-game and allowed just four hits.
Linfield at the plate
The Wildcats totaled four hits in the game. Gellos paced the club, going 2 for 3 with a double while scoring the team's only run. Rediger went 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Wildcat arms
Cason Cunningham (5-4) got the starting nod for the 'Cats. He threw 6.1 innings of six-hit ball, surrendering five runs, four of them earned. The lefty had 10 strikeouts and walked two in his ninth start.
Matt Strang entered the seventh in relief. The right-hander tossed 2.2 innings where he gave up two hits that resulted in runs credited to Cunningham. He had two strikeouts and walked one.
Boxers hitters
Pacific outhit Linfield 8-4. The Boxers were led by Dylan Wright who wen 2 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI. Geleno went 2 for 5, one RBI and scored a run.
Pacific from the mound
Brown (2-3) was extremely effective in his eighth start of the year. The left-hander threw a four-hit complete game. He struck out three and walked one. He picked up his second win of the season.
Chasing Haddeland
With 234 strikeouts, Cunningham remains fourth all-time in Linfield program history. Chris Haddeland leads the program all-time strikeout record with 275.
GAME 2: Linfield 2, Pacific 1
The 'Cats struck first on a solo homer over the left-field wall by
Brady Rediger in the second.
Linfield added another run by the exact method, this time it was
Ryan Ross who sent his fourth homer over the fence in the third. Ross's blast would be the only run separating the two clubs after nine innings.
Pacific got on the board when Joey Galeno grounded out to first with the bases loaded to bring in Dustin Meyer from third in the fifth inning.
Linfield came less than half a step late to adding another run in the eighth when Ross grounded into a double play with runners at first and third. The turn came with one out and ended an inning where Linfield could have added to its lead.
Liam Herlihy shut the door on the Boxers in the final two innings. The junior closer sent the last six Pacific hitters down in order.
Wildcat leaders
Homers by Rediger and Ross headlined the Wildcats' lineup. Linfield outhit Pacific 4-3. Ross went 2 for 4. Rediger went 1 for 3 and
Joey Cassano went 1 for 3.
Linfield on the mound
Cal Neely (2-5) started for the ninth time this season. He threw five innings and gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
Taylor Boos took over in the sixth. He fired two innings of one-hit ball and did not allow a run. Herlihy fired two perfect innings, striking out three, including Meyer looking to end the game. Herlihy earned his third save of the season.
Pacific hitters
The Boxers were led by Galeno who was credited with an RBI but did not record a hit in four at bats. Wright, Ridgway and Aaron Alexander each had a hit in the game.
Boxers pitching staff
Starter Sam Lawrence (4-3) tossed the first 5.1 innings. He gave up two runs on four hits and struck out two. Reliever Joey Angus threw two innings, walking two but allowing no hits.
Next
Linfield and Pacific meet Saturday at noon at Roy Helser Field to complete the three-game series.
