McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Erupting for 10 runs on 14 hits, the Linfield Wildcats crushed Pacific 10-2 to wrap up the teams' three-game Northwest Conference baseball series.
Linfield was by seven dominant innings on the mound by
Carter Buuck. Combined with the hot bats of
Ryan Ross and
Cameron Fox, the Wildcats rolled to the lopsided win Saturday at Roy Helser Field.
Winning the series 2-1, Linfield raised its record to 16-14 overall, 10-8 in the NWC. Pacific dropped to 13-17 overall and 8-13 in the NWC. The 'Cats remain in playoff position as the NWC regular season nears a close. With two weeks left to play, Linfield is in the thick of the playoff chase, trailing Whitman (10-7) and league leader Pacific Lutheran (15-3).
How it played out
Scoreless through the first 2½ innings, Linfield struck for three runs in the bottom of the third.
Colton Robinson cross home plate on a wild pitch to start the scoring. Two batters later, Ross launched a two-run homer over the wall in left field that bounced over the railroad tracks.
With a 3-0 cushion, Buuck settled into a groove. The senior lefty forced three first-pitch outs to start the third, fourth and fifth innings. He threw double-digit pitches in just one inning (seventh).
The 'Cats added one run in the fifth on a bases-loaded fielder's choice off the bat of
Cameron Fox.
Tacking on another run in the sixth, Linfield lengthened its lead after Robinson singled to center to bring home
Jake Dennis.
Pacific's first runs came in the seventh when Chase Anderson singled to score Derek Ridgway from third. Later in the inning, Aaron Alexander singled up the middle to cut the lead to 5-2. A clutch double play turned by Buuck and
Brady Rediger silenced the Pacific rally.
In the bottom of the frame, the 'Cats answered with back-to-back doubles by
Jake Gellos and Fox to push the hosts' advantage to 6-2.
Already leading by four, Linfield brought in four more runs in its last chance at the plate in the eighth. The inning was highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Fox that scored Rediger, Ross and Gellos.
Linfield at the plate
The 'Cats outhit the Boxers 14-5. Ross went 4 for 5 with two RBI and two runs scored, including his fifth homer of the season. Robinson went 2 for 3 with two runs scored with an RBI. Fox was 2 for 5 and had a game-high four RBI with two doubles. Gellos notched a double, drew four walks and scored twice.
Wildcat arms
Buuck (5-2) was phenomenal in his ninth start of the season. He fired seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits. Buuck forced 14 groundouts including two double plays. Relief pitcher
Dylan Peters quieted Pacific, not allowing a base runner over the final two innings while striking out three Boxers.
Boxer hitters
Pacific produced just five hits at the plate. Alexander went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Anderson had the other RBI on 1 for 3 hitting.
Pacific from the mound
Paul Wolfram (1-4) was the first of five Boxer pitchers to see action. He struggled to get out of the third inning, allowing one run, three walks walked and one hit. Josiah Gilbert, Joey Angyus and Bryce Wlodarchak all threw 1.2 innings. The combined to allow the next five runs on nine hits while striking out just one.
Putout machine
Daniel Zavala recorded 17 of the 27 putouts in the game for the Linfield defense. The senior first baseman helped the Wildcats with 15 groundouts and two fly outs from the right side of the defense. Zavala's 17 putouts rank ninth in program history for most putouts in a single game. The record belongs Brian Mullan who had 21 putouts against Willamette in 1987.
Next
Linfield travels to Spokane next weekend to face the Whitworth Pirates in a three-game series. The action begins with a doubleheader Saturday followed by a single contest on Sunday, both at noon.
