McMINNVILLE, ORE. – After trailing early in both games at the Oregon NWC Collegiate Classic, the Linfield Wildcats rallied to beat the Whitman Blues 6-5 and the Lewis & Clark Pioneers 5-4. Both games went into extra innings and ended on Linfield walk-off hits to win at Roy Helser Field in near freezing conditions. The wins bump Linfield to 2-3 on the season Whitman fell to 2-4 and Lewis & Clark remains winless at 0-3.
GAME 1 VS WHITMAN
- Whitman struck first and pushed three runs across in the first frame off Linfield pitcher Cason Cunningham. The Blues extended the lead to 4-0 in the second, Brett Williams singled to drive in Jake Wishart.
- Linfield scored its first runs in the fourth when Tanner Earhart ripped a triple to score Ayden Allen from second. Later, Cameron Fox drove in Earhart on a single through the right side to make it 4-2.
- The 'Cats scored again the following frame on a bases loaded walk by Brian Cromwell. Linfield missed an opportunity with the bases loaded in the same inning when Fox flew out to right and the Blues turned a 9-2-6-2-5 double play to end the threat.
- Cunningham started for the Wildcats he threw five innings where he allowed three hits, three earned runs and struck out seven.
- The Blues struck again in the seventh when Tyler Lewis knocked a base hit through the left side to make it 5-3 Whitman.
- With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Ben Whitt and Alec Cook both reached on hits to bring up Cromwell who whit a towering fly ball over the wall in left field to give the Wildcats the 6-5 walk-off win. For Cromwell, it was his first career-homerun in a Linfield uniform.
Chasing Haddeland
With seven strikeouts on Saturday, Cunningham now has 269 career strikeouts, second all-time in Linfield program history. Chris Haddeland (2012-15) leads all Wildcat pitchers with 275 career strikeouts.
GAME 2 VS LEWIS & CLARK
- The 'Cats fell behind early again in the game two this time to the Pioneers. Lewis & Clark posted three runs in the second inning after a Linfield error kept the early frame alive.
- David Brosius made his second start of the season. The junior tossed 2.1 innings where he allowed two hits, one earned run and struck out five.
- Lewis & Clark tagged on another run in the fourth inning but pitcher Mitch Grove worked the 'Cats out of a bases loaded jam to hold the Pios to one run in the frame.
- Grove threw 3.2 innings, he allowed one run on one hit and struck out five.
- Linfield would rally in the following innings when a failed pickoff attempt allowing Zach Cokos to score. In the fifth, the 'Cats jolted back within a run after Tanner Earhart crushed a two-run homer over the left field fence.
- The 'Cats would score again in the eighth when Fox and Cokos teamed up to hit back-to-back doubles and tying the game at four.
- Austin Thomas threw the final three innings and earned his first career win as a Wildcat. He tossed recorded three strikeouts and did not allow a run.
- In the 10th with two outs, Colton Robinson drove in Ayden Allen for the walk-off game-winning hit on a single through the left side.
NEXT
Linfield meets Willamette in the third game of the Oregon NWC Collegiate Classic tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Roy Helser Field.
