The Linfield Wildcats are tabbed as the No. 1 team in the in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Top 25 poll.
 
The 'Cats are off to a 4-0 start in the Northwest Conference. They have won 13 straight contests and host the Pacific Lutheran Lutes this weekend. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12 noon on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
 
COVERAGE
Joe Stuart is on the call for the videocast provided by the Linfield Sports Network for all four games, live statistics are also available.
 
LINFIELD
The Wildcats are scoring 8.5 runs per game, which leads the conference and is 20^th in NCAA Division III. Their 11 home runs rank ninth in the nation.
 
Emma Podliska has produced 20 RBIs to rank second in the NWC and sixth among all softball players in NCAA Division III. Baily Paul is third in the NWC with 17 RBIs. Katie Phillips is second in the conference with 21 hits.
 
To date, Linfield's pitching staff is the top unit in the conference with an ERA of 2.61. Maddy Podnar is the team's ace with an ERA of 2.46, second-lowest in the conference. The senior lefthander leads the NWC with 37 strikeouts.
 
Tayah Kelley is third with an ERA of 2.55 and stands three punch outs behind Podnar with 34. Jordan Bennett, who has pitched in eight games as a reliver has three wins, is fourth.
 
Both the 'Cats and the Lutes have been crowned NCAA Division III national champions during the last 10 years. Linfield won in 2011 and the Lutes claimed the 2012 title, defeating the Wildcats in the championship game.
 
The two teams met earlier this season for two non-conference matchups, with Linfield winning both games by scores of 6-5 and 4-2, respectively. The Wildcats have won the last 10 meetings and own a 59-47 edge in the all-time series.
 
PACIFIC LUTHERAN
The Lutes started conference play by taking three out of four games from the Willamette Bearcats, two of which came via the eight-run rule. Kennedy Robillard, this week's Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Week, tossed 9.2 innings last week and recorded an ERA of 1.45.
 
PLU has also hit 11 home runs this season. The Lutes are third in the conference with a scoring average of 5.9 runs per game and have team slugging percentage of .487.
 
Calley Collado is second in the NWC in batting average, hitting .536 on the season. Erin McGrath is fourth with a batting average of .487. McGrath has hit four home runs, which is second in the NWC. Robbillard's season ERA of 2.82 ranks fourth in the eight-team league. 
 
UP NEXT
Linfield is back on the road next weekend at Puget Sound. Due to Easter, the first day of the series is on Friday, April 2 and wraps up on Saturday, April 3.