KISSIMMEE, Florida – Ninth-ranked Linfield divided a two-game set Sunday at The Spring Games, beating Bowdoin (Maine) 7-5 but falling 2-0 to Rowan (N.J.) at Osceola Softball Complex.
Linfield (13-3-1) has won three games and lost two during The Spring Games, a weeks-long mega-tournament staged at multiple sites throughout the Orlando area.
LINFIELD 7, BOWDOIN 5
The Wildcats built a 7-1 advantage over the first 3½ innings, then had to hang on in the seventh as the Polar Bears put the potential game-tying run to the plate.
Shelby Saylors held Bowdoin without a hit over the final 1 2/3 innings, striking out Allison Rutz to end the game. She was credited with a save in relief of starter
Tanna Benson.
Bowdoin (5-2) outhit Linfield 11-10 and took advantage of two Linfield errors to make what looked like a rout into a close contest at the end.
After Linfield went in front by six runs, Bowdoin rallied with a run in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings, plus two more in the sixth to pull to within two, 7-5.
Darian Stedman smacked two doubles and a single, stole two bases and scored twice to pace Linfield offensively.
Kelsey Wilkinson went 2 for 4 with two runs scored, and freshman
Katie Phillips hit her fourth home run of the season to lead off the fourth inning.
Benson moved to 8-0 in the circle. She struck out three and walked one.
Samantha Roy (1-1) pitched the entire game for Bowdoin, striking out six but walking four Wildcats.
ROWAN 2, LINFIELD 0
The game was a scoreless standoff until the top of the fifth inning when Rowan plated a single run. Christina Guarino singled up the middle to start things off. Morgan Zane then doubled to left field to position runners at second and third. Mackenzie Short then grounded out into the glove of
Paige Smotherman, providing just enough time for Guarino to score the game's deciding run.
In the Linfield fifth,
Makenna Clizer walked to put a base runner aboard. Pinch runner
Maddy Colson stole second, moving into scoring position. With two outs,
Darian Stedman, the Wildcats' most dangerous hitter as of late, popped up to end the inning.
The Profs added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Kelly Duffy singled, scoring Jesse DeDomenico.
Linfield again had another opportunity to tie but couldn't cash in.
Alana Nuttman singled to left field then moved to second on an error.
Chelsea Horita's full-count swing was caught in foul territory, ending the game.
Wilkinson and Nuttman accounted for Linfield's only hits in the game.
Shelby Saylors went the distance in the circle for the 'Cats, holding Rowan to four hits and two walks. The senior righthander (5-3) struck out three Profs.
Next
Linfield's Saturday rainout with Calvin College will not be made up, due to scheduling logistics. The Wildcats may yet find an opponent to play a sixth game before departing Florida on Tuesday afternoon.
