SPOKANE, Wash. – Two Northwest Conference softball programs that have combined to win the last 14 league championships met Friday afternoon at Diana Marks Field. And given the back-and-forth nature of the team's recent series history, the result was somewhat predictable.
 
Linfield and three-time defending champion Whitworth split their NWC twinbill on a windy day throughout the Inland Empire. The Wildcats won the opener 6-1 before the Pirates fended off a Linfield rally in the late innings to win 10-5.
 
Rated No. 25 in the most recent NFCA Top 25 poll, Linfield (23-7, 15-3) saw its 10-game win streak broken. With the Game 2 victory, the Pirates (17-11, 10-6 NWC) put an end to a modest three-game losing streak.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 6, Whitworth 1
The Wildcats pounced on Pirates pitcher Madelyn Carlson for 12 hits and overcame three errors of their own to win the opener.
 
Shelby Saylors threw the complete-game victory, raising her season record to 10-5. She struck out four and walked one while yielding five hits.
 
Six Wildcats tapped two base hits: Jacinda Swiger, Cheyenne Fletcher, Emily Allen, Makenna Clizer, Darian Stedman and Jessica Woodruff.
 
Though Stedman accounted for Linfield's lone extra base hit – a double in the third inning – the Wildcats were effective on the paths, stealing four bases. The 'Cats were also benefitted by three hit-by-pitch calls.
 
Michelle Silva went 2 for 3 to lead Whitworth at the plate. Carlson saw her season record in the circle move to 12-5.
 
GAME 2: Whitworth 10, Linfield 5
Linfield led 4-1 in the third after Melanie Oord doubled to drive in two runs and Darian Stedman hit her seventh home run of the season.
 
Whitworth answered back with four runs of its own in the fourth, an inning which included K Downey's two-run homer to left field, plus a wild pitch and an error which led directly to Pirate runs.
 
Emily Allen produced Linfield's only other run, a solo home run in the sixth. It was Allen's fourth round trip shot of the season.
 
The hosts pounded out seven hits on Linfield pitcher Eliza Rossman, who suffered her first collegiate defeat in 17 appearances. Rossman struck out six but walked three, falling to 13-1 for the season.
 
Whitworth reliever Kaylee Rosenbaum (1-1) earned the win. She and starter Ashley Trueblood allowed seven hits and three walks combined.
 
Woodruff had two of the Wildcats' seven hits.
 
Silva went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs to carry Whitworth. Downey drove in three runs while notching two hits.
 
Next
The Wildcats and Pirates complete the four-game series Saturday in Spokane with a doubleheader starting at noon.