TACOMA, Wash. – Winning the second game of the doubleheader for the second day in a row, the Linfield Wildcats knocked off the Puget Sound Loggers 16-3 with 13 hits but fell earlier Sunday to the Pacific Lutheran Lutes 4-3 at PLU Field in Tacoma. Linfield secured the overall season series with the Loggers 3-1 and dropped four of three of five to the Lutes.
The split decision bumped Linfield to an overall record of 24-18. The Wildcats have logged 24 or more wins since 2008. Linfield finished second in the Northwest Conference with a record of 16-8.
GAME 1: Pacific Lutheran 4, Linfield 3
Linfield got on the scoreboard in the first inning. An RBI double down the left field line off the bat of
Jake Gellos made it 1-0 as
Brady Rediger came around to score.
The 'Cats added to their lead in the third after Rediger punched a sacrifice fly to center that brought in
Joey Cassano.
PLU answered to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. A single to right by Max Cummings plated NWC Player of the Year Jacob Bockelie and made the score 2-1. Tori Doten was up next and doubled to left-center, bringing home Marques Carl to even the score.
The game remained tied until the sixth when
Jared Evans singled to right with
Cameron Fox on second base. Fox scored and Linfield recaptured the lead, 3-2.
PLU took its first lead when it mattered most. A single up the middle from Connor Cantu brought in Adam Stump and Wesley Nixon, the latter of whom led the inning off with a triple. The Lutes held the lead in the ninth and went on to win 4-3.
Linfield in the box
Linfield collected six hits. Rediger was the only Wildcat with multiple hits. He went 2 for 4 with a run and one RBI. Gellos and Evans both knocked in one RBI.
Wildcat arms
Starter
Carter Buuck pitched the first 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and walking six in his final career performance.
Kameron Walker was solid in relief. He tossed 1.2 innings, let two runners reach base on hits and struck out three batters.
Liam Herlihy picked up his first loss of the season. The Linfield closer gave up two runs on the hit by Cantu in the eighth. He walked two and struck out one.
Lutes at the plate
PLU outhit Linfield for the second day in a row, 8-6. Anthony Gosline was the only Lute to register more than one hit. He went 2 for 5. Cantu went 1 for 3 with two RBI and two walks.
PLU on the mound
Cole Johnson (5-4) continued his impressive run against the Wildcats. The senior left hander threw 8.1 innings where he gave up two earned runs on six hits, walked five and struck out three. Josh Takagi picked up his second save of the season. He tossed the final two outs of the game.
GAME 2: Linfield 16, Puget Sound 3
Scoreless until the fourth, Linfield piled 16 runs over the final four innings.
Wyatt Smith got the soring started with a two-run double.
Alex Hendra-Brown followed up Smith with two more RBI with a single to left.
The Loggers threatened with two runs in the top of the fifth to trim the Wildcats' lead to two. Jake Brady hit a sacrifice fly to score Hunter Riley and later Ryan Moyes singled to the left side and brought in Nick Ultsch.
The Wildcats went on to score three runs in the fifth and sixth, four in the seventh and two more in the eighth to secure a dominanting road win. Doubles by Rediger and
Ben Whitt highlighted the scoring onslaught.
Wildcat leaders
Linfield was patient at the plate, producing 11 walks and 13 hits. Cassano didn't record a hit but reached on four walks and scored four runs. Ross went 3 for 6 with four RBI and scored a run. Gellos knocked in two more RBI on 1 for 2 hitting with a pair of runs scored. Smith went 2 for 3 with three RBI.
Ben Whitt scored twice and doubled to plate two and Hendra-Brown went 2 for 5 with two RBI.
Linfield on the mound
Matt Strang earned the win in his first starting assignment of the season. He was solid, throwing the first 6.1 innings and yielding one earned run on four hits.
Wilson Miles tossed a clean inning, striking out two.
Matt McDonald finished the final 1.2 innings, allowing one hit.
Puget Sound hitters
The Loggers managed five hits. No Puget Sound hitter had multiple hits. Tyler Mick, Moyes and Brady all had one RBI.
Loggers pitching staff
PS starter Merle Rowan (0-5) was charged with the loss. He threw the first five innings and allowed seven runs on six hits. Matthew Hicks, Andrew Matsueda, Jack Pelc and Jesse Awa finished the game on what was a tough day on the hill for the Loggers.
