SPOKANE, Wash. – The Linfield Wildcats knocked off the Whitworth Pirates 3-1 in Game 1 of the two teams' three-game Northwest Conference series Saturday at Merkel Field. As weather delayed start to the opening contest by two hours, Game 2 was suspended by darkness in the eighth inning with Linfield leading 9-3. Action will pick up Sunday at a time that is yet to be mutually agreed upon by the two clubs.
 
Linfield 3, Whitworth 1
Scoreless through the first three frames, Whitworth struck first in the fourth inning when Cody Simmons doubled to left-center field and scored Nicholas Nerud.
 
The 'Cats answered in the fifth as Brady Rediger whacked a double to center field on a full-count pitch, scoring Joey Cassano.
 
In the seventh, Linfield took its first lead. Rediger singled through the right side to bring home Daniel Zavala. Rediger later made his way around to score on a bases-loaded walk by Cameron Fox, putting Linfield in front 3-1.
 
Pitchers Cason Cunningham, Dylan Peters and Liam Herlihy teamed up to hold the Pirates to just one run.
 
Linfield in the box
Linfield totaled eight hits and Rediger played a role in all three Wildcat runs. He went 3 for 4 with double, a run scored and two RBI. Jake Dennis was the only other Wildcat with multiple hits. He went 2 for 4. Fox brought in the other Wildcat run on a walk. Fox went 1 for 3 with a double.
 
Wildcat arms
Cunningham (6-4) earned his first win since March 11. The lefty tossed the first six innings, allowing one run on five hits. He walked two and struck out nine. Peters fired two clean innings of no-run ball in relief. He allowed two hits and struck out a pair of Pirates. Herlihy pitched the ninth, picking up his fourth save after throwing a scoreless final frame.
 
Pirates at the plate
Whitworth struck together seven hits. J.T. Phelan went 2 for 3 and Nerud was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Simmons had the lone Whitworth RBI, going 1 for 4.
 
Whitworth on the mound
Starter Hugh Smith (5-1) suffered its first pitching defeate. In 6.2 innings, he allowed all three Linfield runs and surrendered eight hits. He walked two and struck out seven. Smith picked up his first loss of the season. Darren Crosby was dominant in relief, conceding one baserunner on a walk over the final 2.1 innings.
 
Chasing Haddeland
With nine strikeouts to his name, Cunningham now has 243 career strikeouts. The lefty needs three more to surpass Jordon Rasmussen's 245 and move to No. 3 on the Linfield career list. Chris Haddeland owns the program record with 275 strikeouts.