NEWBERG, Ore. – A three-run home run in the sixth inning by Darian Stedman sent Linfield to a dramtic come-from-behind victory over the Pacific Boxers in the semifinals of the Northwest Conference Touranment Saturday at George Fox's Morse Athletic Complex.
 
Linfield (34-8) moves on to face George Fox (34-8) in Sunday's championship round. The Bruins, who tied the Wildcats for the NWC regular-season title, must beat Linfield twice on Sunday in order to claim the tournament crown and the accompanying NCAA Division III regional playoff berth.
 
Stedman's home run, her eight of the season, helped Linfield complete a rally from a 7-2 deficit midway through the game.
 
Pacific opened with three runs in the first inning as Hailey Miller blasted a three-run homer to center field of the pitch of Wildcats starter Shelby Saylors.
 
Linfield answered in the bottom of the first as Stedman singled to drive home two runs. The Boxers kept the pressure on the 'Cats, putting up four more runs on Montana Vaught's grand slam home run in the top of the third.
 
The Wildcats refused to wilt. Stedman lofted a bases-loaded sacrifice in the bottom of the inning before Makenna Clizer and Chelsea Horita took turns drilling singles that pushed runners home.
 
In the fifth inning, Paige Smotherman doubled to drive in a run pulling Linfield to within one run, 7-6.
 
That set the stage for Stedman's game-changing and perhaps tournament altering home run. The junior outfielder went 2 for 3 but finished with six RBI.
 
Cheyenne Fletcher and Smotherman also finished the game with two hits as Linfield outhit Pacific 10-5 and capitalized on three Boxer errors.
 
Saylors walked four and allowed seven hits. She earned her 19th pitching win of the season and second tournament victory in as many days.
 
Pacific reliver Ashley Martin, who threw the final 2/3 of an inning, was charged with the loss, falling to 7-5.