WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Linfield Wildcats were unable to come away with a win on the opening day of the Northwest Conference schedule, dropping two against reigning conference champion Whitman. The WIldcats lost the first game 11-6 before losing the second 7-6 in 10 innings. 
 
GAME 1: Whitman 11, Linfield 6
The Wildcats struck first in the top half of the opening inning. Shortstop Tanner Jacques reached on a one out walk and immediately advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a Tanner Earhart ground out moved Jacques to third, he proceeded to score on a wild pitch.
 
But the Whitman Blues immediately responded, and in a big way off Linfield started Cameron Skinner. Drew Vannaman walked and proceeded to steal back-to-back bases to move up to third. Two more walks loaded the bases before a base hit from Leo Rivera knocked in two runs. David Johnson hit an RBI groundout to make it 3-1 and Jerick Nomura doubled to make it 4-1.
 
In the bottom of the second, two defensive miscues allowed runners on allowed another run to score. Matthew Sox singled to score Vannaman, and Sox would score on a bases-loaded passed ball three batters later. Skinner would be pulled in the second and Kai Herko forced a fly out to end the inning with the score 7-1.
 
The Wildcats would scratch a run across in the top of the third with two outs. Jacques doubled and Earhart walked to put runners on first and second. Wyatt Smith singled in the next at-bat to score Jacques. After a wild pitch to put runners on second and third, David Brosius popped up to the catcher to end the threat.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Blues got to Herko. After retiring the next six hitters since entering the game, a two-out walk got things going in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back walks were followed up by a base hit by Brett Williams scored one run and an error from Levi Horner-Villa in right would allow a runner to move up to third. The runner would score on a passed ball before Dakota Carter struck out Vannaman to end the inning at 9-2.
 
Linfield tacked on three in the top of the sixth, starting with a single from Brosius. Brian Cromwell walked and Horner-Villa singled to load the bases. Starting pitcher Travis Craven proceeded to walk in a run to end his outing and giving the Wildcats their third run. After a pitching changed and two stikeouts from Linfield hitters, Jacques would reach on an error by the shortstop Williams and two runs would score to make it 9-5.
 
Whitman socred one run in the bottom of the sixth after a Kevin Nakamura doubled and Johnson singled him in. Johnson was stranded at second after advancing on a passed ball.
 
In the eighth, pinch hitter Garrett Moen tripled to lead off the inning. Ben Ranieri followed that up with a sacrifice fly to get another run across from Linfield, making the score 10-6.
 
Austin Thomas came on in the bottom half of the eighth and gave up a lead-off walk to Vannaman. After stealing second and advancing to third on a sac fly, a wild pitch from Thomas allowed Vannaman to score making the score 11-6. Linfield was retired in order to end the game in the top of the ninth.
 
Smith, Brosius, and Horner-Villa each led the Wildcats with two hits each. Skinner was tagged with the loss (0-1) after allowing seven runs, five earned, in one and two-thirds innings. Herko allowed two runs, one earned, in three innings of work. Carter and Thomas combined for three and a third innings with two runs and three strikeouts.
 
Nakamura led Whitman with two hits, while Rivera and Johnson each had two RBIs. Craven (1-1) worked five innings, allowing five runs, three of which were earned.
 
GAME 2: Whitman 7, Linfield 6, 10 innings
Ben Ranieri led off Game 2 with a home run, his first of the season.
 
Whitman immediately tied the game back up with two outs on a homer by Matthew Sox. With runners on first and second, starting pitcher Colton Meyer was able to work out of trouble by striking out David Johnson.
 
The Blues got another in the second. With runners on first and third, the Wildcats made an error on the back-end of a double play that would have ended the inning that allowed a run to score and made the score 2-1.
 
After a catcher's interference call and a walk, Meyer was relieved by Andrew Del Biaggio. Another walk would load the bases, followed by a third consecutive walk to allow the third run of the game to score by Whitman.
 
Linfield tied the game in the sixth. Back-to-back walks by David Brosius and Wyatt Smith put two runners on before Brian Cromwell scored Brosius on a double. An intentional walk loaded the bases and an error made by pitcher Dexter Aichele who had just come on in relief allowed Smith to score, making the score 3-3.
 
After a Sox walk, Kevin Nakamura homered to make the score 5-3. Del Biaggio forced a double play to end the inning.
 
The 'Cats got a run across in the seventh. A wild pitch put runners on second and third after a Tanner Earhart walk and a David Brosius single. A sacrifice fly from Cromwell scored Earhart, but Tanner Jacques struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning at 5-4, Whitman.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Samuel Adams tight-roped out of danger with runners on second and third without allowing a run.
 
Linfield took the lead in the top of the eighth. With two outs, the Wildcats loaded the bases and Smith drove in two runs with a single.
 
Whitman tied the game up in the bottom of the ninth. Colton Robinson came on in relief of Adams. Jerick Nomura singled and immediately stole second. Brett Williams walked before Drew Vannaman singled to tie the game up. Robinson forced a double-play with runners on first and second to end the inning.
 
Linfield couldn't get anything going in the top of the tenth, and Whitman capitalized in the bottom half of the extra inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases with no outs before a wild pitch from Robinson ended the game, 7-6.
 
Seven different Wildcats had a hit in the game. Smith and Cromwell each had two RBIs to lead the team in that category. Colton Meyer worked four innings, allowing three runs and striking out five. Del Biaggio threw for two innings allowing three and Samuel Adams worked two innings of scoreless relief. Robinson (0-1) allowed two runs in one inning of work.
 
Whitman was led by Nakamura and Rivera, each with two hits. Nakamura also had two RBIs. Starter Eric Ma allowed two earned runs over five and a third innings with seven strike outs. Jake Larson (1-1) got his first win on the season in relief, allowing one run over three innings and punching out four.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield (4-5, 0-2 in NWC) looks to avoid the sweep in the finale of this three-game set against Whitman (3-6, 2-0 in NWC) on Sunday. First pitch is at noon in Walla Walla.