McMINNVILLE, ORE. – Despite leading 6-2 at the end of the seventh inning, the Linfield Wildcats allowed seven runs in the last two frames and fell to the Willamette Bearcats 9-8 at Roy Helser Field at the Oregon NWC Collegiate Classic. Linfield drops to 2-4 overall while last year's NWC Tournament champs, Willamette, improve to 3-2.
RECAP
- The Wildcats jolted to a 2-0 lead after Brian Cromwell homered for the second time in as many days. Cromwell now has two home runs this season.
- Linfield starter Colton Meyer was solid in his first home start in a Wildcat uniform. The freshman threw five innings where he did not allow a run on one hit with six strikeouts.
- The 'Cats added to their lead in the fourth inning when Colton Robinson double was followed by a double off the bat of Ayden Allen to make it 3-0. Linfield scored again in the sixth Levi Horner-Villa to bring in Cameron Fox who got on with a double to left center.
- Kota Carter entered the game after Meyer. He threw 1.2 innings, struck out one and allowed two runs on four hits. The Bearcats scored on a double …
- Wilson Miles entered the seventh with two outs and struck out the potential tying run at the plate to end the Willamette threat.
- Fox pushed the lead back to four runs in the seventh with a two-out, two-RBI double off the wall in right to make it 6-2 'Cats.
- Linfield held Willamette scoreless through the first six innings before allowing nine runs over the final three frames.
- Willamette would rally late with three runs on three hits in the eighth off of Miles and Brennan O'Brien before Ethan Jones finished the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
- In the bottom of the eighth, Ayden Allen gave the 'Cats some cushion with a triple out to right center that scored Horner-Villa. Alec Cook brought in Allen on a sacrifice fly to left to make the score 8-5 heading into the ninth inning.
- Willamette pushed four across in the top of the ninth off of Jones who fell to 0-1 on the season.
NEXT
Linfield plays host to the Whitman Blues next weekend at Roy Helser Field in a three-game series to begin Northwest Conference play. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday.
