TACOMA, Wash. – Nine runs in the top of the first inning of Game 2 helped the Linfield Wildcats split a doubleheader against the Puget Sound Loggers on Saturday at Logger Field. The Loggers took Game 1 by a score of 7-2. The Wildcats won Game 2 by a score of 12-2.
 
This was the Northwest Conference opener for both teams and both are 1-1 in NWC play. Linfield is 3-7 overall while Puget Sound is 5-3.
 
GAME 1: Puget Sound 7, Linfield 2
The game was scoreless through the first four frames, Puget Sound scored seven runs combined in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
 
Two throwing errors by the Wildcats gave Puget Sound the first run of the game in the fifth, Davis Miller scored the run. The Loggers added three runs in the top of the sixth on a three-run home run by Dylan Joyce, scoring on the play were Kyle Strash and Jackson Bolitho.
 
Linfield scored its only runs of the game in the seventh on a two-run home run by Jackson Horner, his first career home run. Ben Ranieri got on base on a hit by pitch and scored on the Horner home run.
 
Joyce drove in two on a single in the seventh to make it 7-2, scoring were Jake Briscoe and Jackson Bolitho. Another run came to score on a hit by pitch, Strash scored the run.
 
Colton Meyer was on the bump for the Wildcats, he was charged with four earned runs and got credited with his third loss of 2021. He had six strikeouts, giving up three hits and three walks. Skyler Manelski came in relief off Meyer and gave up two runs in 0.2 innings. Gavin Ludlow tossed a shutout eighth inning.
 
The Loggers' Owen Shellmann remains undefeated on the season, picking up his third win on Saturday. He tossed seven innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits and three walks, striking out four. Jackson Dinkel pitched two shutout innings for Puget Sound.
 
Horner had two of the five hits by Linfield in game one, he is fifth in the conference with a .417 batting average. Joyce also had two of the five hits for Puget Sound.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 12, Puget Sound 2
Per Northwest Conference rules during the 2021 season, the second game was played to seven innings.
 
Linfield jumped on Puget Sound right away with Tanner Jacques reaching on a fielding error. Mike LaVigne hit his first career home run to left field to make it 2-0 without an out.
 
Linfield hit six singles in a row following the home run by LaVigne to take a 6-0 lead. An RBI single by Wyatt Smith drove in Reid Sturn, a single by Daniel Khan brought home Levi Horner-Villa, Smith and Horner scored on a two-run single by Cage Hardy.
Kahn scored on a throwing error by the Loggers, Jacques drove in Hardy to make it 9-0 before an out was recorded in the game.
 
Puget Sound starter Davis Miller gave up five earned runs without recording an out on seven hits and got the loss. The Loggers used six more pitchers in the game.
 
Runs kept coming in the second for the Wildcats as Cage Hardy hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring on the play was Wyatt Smith. It was the first home run of the season for Hardy.
 
The Loggers scored a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout by William Gross. Their second run came in the bottom of the fourth, an RBI base hit by Strash.
 
Ryan Kamp hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh to make it 12-2, scoring was Garrett Moen.
 
Freshman Gage Mack turned in yet another strong start. He tossed 5.2 innings and gave up two earned runs on six hits and two walks. The Silverton, Oregon, native punched out seven Loggers. Mack has picked up two of the three wins for the Wildcats and is third in the conference with an ERA of 2.30 and fourth with 15 strikeouts.
 
Andrew Del Biaggio pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Wildcats, giving up no hits or walks and striking out two.
 
UP NEXT
The Loggers and the 'Cats are back at Logger Field to wrap up the series on Sunday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.