TACOMA, Wash. – Abi Proffitt and Makenna Clizer both had five hits, and Katie Phillips hit two home runs to power the Linfield Wildcats past the Pacific Lutheran Lutes in a Northwest Conference twinbill Saturday afternoon at the PLU diamond. Linfield won a nail-biter in the opener, 7-6, before dominating PLU pitching for a 14-3 victory in the nightcap shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule.
 
Linfield moved to 6-0 in the NWC and 8-1-1 overall. PLU evened its conference record at 3-3 while moving to 11-6 overall.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 7, Pacific Lutheran 6
Proffitt and Kelsey Wilkinson both smacked home runs to help Linfield established a sizable 7-0 advantage over the first 3½ innings. PLU awoke in the bottom of the four inning, scoring the game's final six runs and nearly a seventh run that could have forced extra innings.
 
Proffitt finished with three hits in four trips to the plate, including her first collegiate home run. Maddy Colson, Katie Phillips and Makenna Clizer all added two hits for the 'Cats.
 
In the Linfield first inning, Wilkinson drilled her second homer of the season over the right-field wall, driving in Phillips and Colson for a quick 3-0 Wildcats lead. Proffitt made it 4-0 with a two-out, RBI single in the fourth. Proffitt's next at-bat also produced a run when the freshman first baseman launched a solo home run to center field.
 
The Lutes got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when Erin McGrath powered a three-run homer to center field, cutting the margin to four runs, 7-3. Kennedy Robillard and Kathryn Hatlen followed with run-scoring base hits and suddenly the Wildcats found themselves protecting a two-run cushion.
 
Hatlen's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh scored Sydney Victor from third base, pulling PLU to within one, 7-6. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Lutes nearly tied the game, but Chaella Galapon was tagged out at home plate by Shakayla Snyder on the game's final play on a throw from right field by Darian Stedman.
 
Shelby Saylors went the distance in the circle for Linfield, improving to 4-1. She gave up 10 hits and a pair of walks. Robillard, the PLU starter, absorbed her first defeat to fall to 5-1. She surrendered 13 hits but struck out five Wildcats.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 14, Pacific Lutheran 3, 5 innings
A seven-run fourth inning, ignited by Phillips' three-run homer, turned a one-run game into a blowout. Clizer added another home run for good measure as the Wildcats amassed 15 hits on PLU pitchers Z Ellis and Marley Dyer.
 
Wilkinson and Clizer each went 3 for 4 at the plate to carry the 'Cats. In addition to Phillips' two home runs, Stedman and Proffitt each added two hits.
 
Tanna Benson earned her third win in relief of Wildcats starter Eliza Rossman. The two pitchers combined for three strikeouts while holding the Lutes to three hits.
 
Next
The Wildcats and the Lutes square off again in a doubleheader Sunday on the PLU campus. First pitch is set for noon.