MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Led by the steady pitching of  Shelby Saylors, Linfield fended off resilient George Fox  Sunday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium. The 12th-ranked Wildcats won both ends of the Northwest Conference doubleheader over their Yamhill County neighbors by scores of 7-5 and 10-4.
 
Saylors was tireless in two complete-game victories, piling up 16 strikeouts over the two contests. The impressive performance came on the same day that the senior from Rainier became Linfield's career leader for innings pitched. Her 550 2/3 innings pitched surpassed graduated All-American Brittany Miller's record of 537 set between 2006 and 2009.
 
Over the weekend, Saylors also set the Linfield career record for games started by a pitcher (85), again moving ahead of Miller (82). And with two complete games on Sunday, the righthander moved into a tie with Karissa Way (1997-2000) for most complete-game pitching performances in school history (58).
 
Linfield (16-4-1, 11-1 NWC) took three of the series' four games from the George Fox (11-9, 5-6 NWC) in a battle of last season's conference co-champions.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 7, George Fox 5
Saylors struck out 10 batters and needed every one as the Wildcats jumped to a six-run lead but had to hang on at the end to secure the victory.
 
Maddy Colson put Linfield on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning, launching a solo home run to right-center field on the Wildcats' first at-bat of the game.
 
With runners at second and third base, the Wildcats pushed two more runs across, first on a fielder's choice by Darian Stedman and then on a sacrifice fly by Abi Proffitt that scored Kelsey Wilkinson.
 
Chelsea Horita made it 4-0 with a single to left field that scored Stedman from second. A single by Shakayla Snyder drove Horita home and the Wildcats held a commanding 5-0 lead after just six outs had been recorded.
 
An RBI double in the fourth by Katie Phillips produced Linfield's next run and a single by Kelsey Wilkinson on the next at-bat enabled Phillips to stretch the score to 7-0.
 
George Fox notched its initial run in the top of the fifth when Aaliyuah Kautz hit a home run to right field. A two-run homer in the sixth by Roni Braun cut the margin to four, 7-3. Savannah Vargas then blasted a towering two-run home run to center field and suddenly the Bruins were within striking distance, 7-5.
 
Linfield put two runners on base with two outs in the sixth but Makenna Clizer popped out into the glove of Ito for the third out.
 
George Fox put the winning run at the plate in the top of the seventh, but Saylors stuck out Allison Meyer to end the game.
 
Saylors improved to 7-3 with the complete-game victory. Four George Fox pitchers took turns in the circle. Bruins starter Ashley Davis (3-6) took the loss. She gave up five runs, four hits and two walks in the first inning.
 
Colson, Phillips and Snyder all had two hits to pace Linfield at the plate. Meyer totaled two hits while Braun and Vargas each drove in a pair of runs to lead George Fox offensively.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 10, George Fox 4
After spotting the Bruins a first-inning run, the Wildcats piled up five of their own in the bottom of the frame. The spree included a two-run double from Clizer and a two-run homer from Proffitt, her fourth of the season.  
 
After relieving starter Winter Ridgeway with one out in the firest, Bruins reliever Sara Storton scattered five hits while holding the Wildcats scoreless.
 
With Storton holding Linfield at bay through the middle innings, George Fox rediscovered its offense. Braun tapped sacrifice RBI in the third before Kautz and Allissa Yabumoto drove in runs to pull the Bruins to within one run, 5-4, in the fourth.
 
Linfield made its move in the sixth, putting two runners on base with one out. That's when Clizer, Proffit, Horita and Kamryn Apling all spanked run-scoring singles to put the Wildcats over the top.
 
George Fox loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but again Saylors asserted herself with a game-ending strikeout.
 
Clizer and Proffit both drove home three runs. Phillips, Clizer, Proffitt Apling and Paige Smotherman all had two hits for Linfield, which outhit George Fox 14-6.
 
Braun led the Bruins with two RBI.
 
Next
Linfield hosts DePauw (Ind.) for a nonconference doubleheader Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Del Smith Stadium.