LA VERNE, Calif. – Makenna Clizer hit solo home runs in each game, and Jordan Bennett earned a win in her collegiate pitching debut as 11th-ranked Linfield took both ends of a non-conference doubleheader from La Verne Sunday on the Campus West Field.
 
The Wildcats (6-0) went unbeaten in three doubleheaders in Southern California over the weekend, knocking off Whittier, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and La Verne in order.
 
On Sunday, Bennett pitched all seven innings of the nightcap, striking out four and walking one. Maddy Podnar earned her third win in the circle for the weekend, notching a complete-game victory in the opener.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 7, La Verne 3
Clizer swatted her second home run of the weekend, a solo shot in the second inning that gave Linfield a 1-0 advantage. Chelsea Horita made it 2-0 with a RBI single in the third that scored Katie Phillips from second base.
 
Katheryn Navarro cut the Linfield lead in half in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field off the pitch of Podnar. The Leopards took a 3-2 lead in the fifth after Justice Borden singled to drive home a pair of unearned runs.
 
The Wildcats seized control for good in the seventh. Baily Paul, Abi Proffitt and Kamryn Apling all delivered RBI singles to push the final score to 6-3.
 
Podnar emerged as the winning pitcher, striking out one batter while scattering seven hits and two walks in a complete-game performance. ULV starter Jiana Rojo (4-1) was tagged with the loss. She gave up nine hits and two walks to the Wildcats, striking out four.
 
Phillips, Clizer and Apling each produced two hits for Linfield. Navarro and Rojo each accounted for two of the Leopards' seven base hits.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 6, La Verne 2
Linfield led 3-0 after two innings following an RBI single by Paul, a solo home run to left field from Clizer, and a run-scoring double from Apling.
 
La Verne answered with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to pull within one run, 3-2.
 
Linfield padded its lead with three runs in the sixth. Clizer laid down a squeeze bunt, enabling Paul to score from third. Soon after, Proffitt pushed Clizer home with a ground-out RBI, and McDaniel also scored on the play thanks to a throwing error.
 
The Leopards put runners at first and second base in the bottom of the seventh, but Bennett got Navarro to ground out into the glove of Proffitt at first base for the final out.
 
Bennett, a freshman from San Jose, California, logged 103 pitches in her collegiate debut. She struck out four batters, walked one and spread out eight hits.
 
Paul picked up two hits in the game. Clizer raised her home run total to three. McDaniel, Haylee Baker and Kelsey Wilkinson all recorded stolen bases in the game.
 
NEXT
Linfield makes its home debut over the weekend when the Wildcats open Northwest Conference play against the Pacific Boxers. Saturday's doubleheader starts at noon. On Sunday, the team's complete the four-game series with the first pitch coming at 11 a.m.