McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield twice overcame deficits to win Game 1, then piled up 15 hits in Game 2 to sweep a nonconference doubleheader from DePauw of Indiana on a chilly Wednesday night at Del Smith Stadium.
 
Paige Smotherman hit four home runs for the night, including three bombs during the Wildcats' 10-9 opening-game victory. The Wildcats then pounded 15 hits to win the nightcap 13-4 in a game shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 10, DePauw 9
Smotherman swatted three home runs in consecutive at-bats and Chelsea Horita delivered the game-winning hit with two outs in the seventh inning to rally the Wildcats from a 9-7 deficit.
 
Smotherman's three home runs tied a Linfield single-game record, equaling the standing mark set by Cheyenne Fletcher against Willamette in 2015. The feat came against three different DePauw pitchers.
 
The teams combined for 19 runs and 19 hits, including five homers. Smotherman went 3 for 3 with four RBI. Katie Phillips was 3 for 4 and scored twice.
 
The Tigers jumped on Wildcats starter Shelby Saylors for four runs in the first two innings. Jade Mejia Wick tripled in the opening frame to drive home two quick runs before Becca St. Germaine led off the second inning with a solo home run to left field. Kaylyn Linder then singled, stole second base, moved to third on a Kate Geary grounder, and snuck home to push DePauw in front 4-0 before the game was 15 minutes old.
 
In the bottom of the second, Linfield answered with a five-run outburst, highlighted by home runs from Darian Stedman and Smotherman, who added another homer in the third to put Linfield in front, 6-4.
 
The Tigers wouldn't go down easy. DePauw plated three runs in the fourth, getting a sacrifice RBI from Alyssa Nowak and a sacrifice bunt from Abey Bass to go back on top, 7-6. St. Germaine gave the Tigers a two-run cushion in the fifth, hitting a double to center field that scored pinch runner Sarah Beischer.
 
Smotherman came to the plate in the sixth and sent her third home run over the left-field fence, drawing Linfield to within one, 8-7.
 
Ali Dierks beat the tag at home plate to tack on another DePauw run in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats loaded the bases on reliever Cami Henry but the freshman surrendered the game-winning hit to Horita on a full-count pitch, the 10th of the at-bat.
 
Saylors (9-3) went the distance in the circle, allowing 10 hits and two walks. Henry took the loss to fall to 4-3. She struck out eight Wildcats and walked a pair.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 13, DePauw 7
Linfield got on the scoreboard first when Kelsey Wilkinson doubled in the first inning, then scooted home on a single to left field by Makenna Clizer.
 
In the Linfield second inning, Horita made it 2-0 in favor of the hosts, swatting a solo home run over the left-field fence. A double by Kamryn Apling soon followed and Apling eventually scored on an error by first baseman Sidney Holler.
 
A double to left-center by Bass scored two runs, pulling the Tigers to within one run, 3-2. Linfield responded with a single by Clizer and a double from Stedman, putting runners at second and third with no outs. After Smotherman drew a walk to load the bases, Horita drove in two runs with a single to left field.
 
In the fourth, the Tigers plated two runs to cut the Wildcats' lead to 5-4. Grace Smith singled to score a run, then pinch hitter Caleigh Cramer delivered an RBI single.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Clizer and Stedman each doubled to produce a run before Smotherman came to the plate to hit her fourth roundtripper of the night, a two-run blast to left field that pumped the Linfield advantage to 8-4.
 
The 'Cats slammed the door on the Tigers in the fifth as Phillips and Wilkinson each drove in runs, and Stedman spanked her second home run out of the park, a two-run shot that halted the game by the mercy rule.
 
Henry (4-4) took her second loss of the day, giving up 10 hits and two walks in a starting role.
 
Tanna Benson earned the win in a complete-game performance, improving to 9-1 for the season.

Clizer and Stedman each tapped three hits while Horita and Apling had a pair of base hits each.
 
Next
Linfield resumes Northwest Conference play over the weekend when the Wildcats travel to Salem to face the Willamette Bearcats. Action begins Saturday and Sunday at noon at the WU Softball Field.