McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Getting contributions up and down the lineup, the Linfield Wildcats fought off Pacific Lutheran in the late innings to win both ends of a Northwest Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.
Katie Phillips produced four hits in Sunday's two games,
Kamryn Mobley drove in three runs, and
Kamryn Apling went 3 for 3 in Game 2 to lead the 'Cats offensively. Pitchers
Maddy Podnar and
Tayah Kelley weathered late offensive surges by the Lutes to come away with a pair of one-run victories. Linfield captured the opener 5-4 before coming from behind to win the nightcap 8-7.
The top-ranked Wildcats raised their season record to 19-1 and 8-0 in the NWC. PLU, which found itself on the losing end against Linfield six times this season, slipped to 6-10 and 3-4 in conference play.
GAME 1: Linfield 5, Pacific Lutheran 4
Podnar scattered four hits over five innings before giving way to
Jordan Bennett to start the sixth inning with the 'Cats leading 5-2. And though the Lutes' Chaella Galapon and Erin McGrath smacked home runs in consecutive at-bats, Bennett clamped down from there, striking out the final two batters looking to put the game on ice.
Proffitt recorded two doubles while driving home four runs and
Emma Podliska went 2 for 3 and scored a pair of runs.
Podnar earned the win in the circle, improving to 8-1 for the season. Bennett collected her first career save.
Lutes starter Kennedy Robillard took the loss to fall to 3-2. She struck out three and allowed seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of action. McGrath went 2 for 3 and drove in three runs. Galapon also had a pair of hits for PLU.
GAME 2: Linfield 8, Pacific Lutheran 7
The Lutes jumped to leads of 2-0 and 4-1 but the Wildcats answered with a five-run second inning to take command. Linfield led 8-5 after six innings only to see PLU fight back with a pair of runs, but that was a close as the Lutes would come.
Kelley fanned seven batters during the complete-game victory, her fifth of the season. The sophomore righthander remained unbeaten in the circle at 7-0.
Phillips went 3 for 3 and scored twice and
Kelsey Wilkinson stole two bases to raise her season total of thefts to 11.
PLU starter Z Ellis took the loss to drop to 2-4. She allowed six hits and one walk while lasting just 1 2/3 innings. The Wildcats piled up a series-high 12 hits on Ellis and relievers Molly House and Emma Ware.
NEXT
Linfield heads to Tacoma, Washington, for a four-game series at the University of Puget Sound. The Wildcats and Loggers play a doubleheader Friday starting at noon before completing their annual four-game set Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
