The Linfield University softball team hosts the Bushnell Beacons for a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday at Del Smith Stadium. First pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
Per Northwest Conference "Return to Competition" protocols, no spectators are allowed to attend any home games this season.
 
COVERAGE
A live video feed, produced by the Linfield Sports Network, will be available along with live stats.
 
THE BEACONS
Bushnell is 0-4 to start the season, dropping three of the four contests via the eight-run rule. The Beacons are scheduled to play four Northwest Conference teams during non-conference play. On Sunday, they lost to the George Fox Bruins, 14-6 and 15-3.
 
Coach Katie Duroe is in her third year leading Bushnell. The Beacons went 11-32 in 2019 and 4-15 in the shortened 2020 season. The pitching staff is led by Miranda Jensen, who has pitched seven innings, including one start.
 
Jensen, Anna Cardwell, Anabel Mendez and Samantha Silver lead the team with two RBIs each. Cardwell is also the team leader with a .300 batting average. 
 
Bushnell takes on the Lewis & Clark Pioneers and Willamette Bearcats following Wednesday's series.
 
THE WILDCATS
Linfield started its season going 3-1 against two NAIA opponents this past weekend. The Wildcats swept the Eastern Oregon Moutaineers, 3-0 and 11-0, on Saturday and split a pair of one-run games against the Warner Pacific Knights on Sunday, winning 2-1 and losing 8-7.
 
Jackson Vaughan's squad hit .398 over the weekend and the pitching staff had 24 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.62
 
The offense was powered by Emma Podliska, who had five RBIs, and Katrina Johns, who leads the team with a batting average of .545 and a slugging percentage of .818. Baily Paul is second on the team with four RBIs.
 
The pitching staff is anchored by Maddy Podnar and the current Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week, Tayah Kelley. Podnar tossed a complete game shutout on Saturday against Eastern Oregon. Kelley pitched to an ERA of 0.70 in 10 innings pitched while racking up 15 strikeouts.
 
Wednesday's games are the first documented meetings between the two teams.
 
NEXT
Linfield is idle this weekend before hosting NWC rival Pacific Lutheran for a non-conference doubleheader on March 6. Northwest Conference play begins on March 20 at Pacific.