CLAREMONT, Calif. – Maddy Podnar recorded two pitching victories and No. 11 Linfield raised its record to 4-0 Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of NCAA West Region rival Claremont-Mudd-Scipps at Athena Field.
 
The Wildcats overcame a three-run deficit to win the opener 13-4 in six innings. Linfield built a 4-0 lead in the nightcap, then held on to win 7-4.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 13, CMS 4, 6 innings
Falling behind 4-1 in the opening two innings, Wildcats freshman Baily Paul knotted the score in the third with a three-run triple to left-center field. Abi Proffitt followed with a three-run double in the field to put the 'Cats in front 7-4, and Makenna Clizer and Haylee Baker each added RBI singles in the fifth.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, Kelsey Wilkinson launched her first career grand-slam home run to put the game out of reach.
 
Chelsea Horita went 2 for 2, drew a pair of walks and scored twice. Baker, Paul and Clizer also contributed two hits. The Wildcats rolled up 13 hits on CMS pitchers Lauren Richards (L, 3-3) and Lexi Singh.
 
Linfield righthander Eliza Rossman started the game in the circle but surrendered four runs and five hits during the game's first 1 2/3 innings. Maddy Podnar came on in relief of Rossman, holding the Athenas to just a single hit the rest of the way to earn her first pitching win of the season.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 5, CMS 2
Podnar fanned five batters and scattered five hits to pick up her second win of the afternoon as the Wildcats completed the doubleheader sweep.
 
Linfield plated four runs in the third inning, starting with Horita's RBI on a fielder's choice. Paul then made it 2-0 with a ground-out RBI that scored Baker from third base. A two-run single by Proffitt followed soon after and the 'Cats led 4-0 heading to the fourth.
 
Wilkinson continue her hot hitting streak with an RBI single to center field that scored Jocie Newton.
 
Claremont-M-S cut the margin to three runs when Maddie Valdez hit a two-run RBI in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
Linfield padded its lead with RBIs from Proffitt and Kamryn Apling in the seventh but CMS got a run of its own when Ananya Koneti singled in the bottom of the inning for the game's final run.
 
Baker went 3 for 5 in the game while Apling, Proffitt, Wilkinson and Newton all added two hits each. The Wildcats pounded 13 hits in Athenas pitcher Heather Shipley.
 
Podnar (2-0) pitched 6 2/3 innings before turning the game over to relievers Tayah Kelley and Clarissa Wolfe.
 
NEXT
Linfield heads to La Verne for a doubleheader Sunday against the Leopards beginning at noon.