The Linfield University softball team is on route to Spokane, Washington to take on the Whitworth Pirates this weekend, in a battle of two of the top three teams in the Northwest Conference standings. The doubleheader starts at 12 noon on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
 
The Wildcats took three out of four from the Lewis & Clark Pioneers at home last weekend. The loss dropped Linfield two spots in the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association rankings. The 'Cats go into this weekend being ranked No. 3.
 
COVERAGE
A live video webcast as well as live statistics are provided by the Pirates for all four games.
 
THE WILDCATS
Linfield is 25-3 overall this season and 14-2 in the Northwest Conference. Scoring 6.36 runs per game this season, the Wildcats lead the conference with a .410 on-base percentage and a 2.59 earned run average.
 
The batting average leader for the Wildcats is catcher Kamryn Apling, who is batting .418 on the season which is sixth in the NWC, she is also second in the conference with a .553 on-base percentage. Leadoff hitter Kelsey Wilkinson has 20 stolen bases this season.
 
Linfield has four of the 10 RBI leaders in the NWC: Abi Proffitt, who is fifth with 27, Baily Paul and Emma Podliska are tied at eighth with 25 and Katie Phillips is 10^th with 24. Kamryn Mobley is 12^th with 22. Katrina Johns has drawn 11 walks, which is fifth most in the conference.
 
The Wildcats are home to the top-two strikeout leaders. Tayah Kelley is first with 76, Maddy Podnar is second with 64. Podnar is also second in the NWC with an ERA of 2.71, Kelley is third with an ERA of 2.73.
 
Kelley leads the NWC with 11 wins, Podnar is second with 10. Jordan Bennett has been the main relief pitcher for coach Jackson Vaughan. Bennett is pitching to an ERA of 2.78 in 22.2 innings pitched, she has four wins and 13 strikeouts.
 
The two teams played earlier this season in McMinnville. Linfield took all four games on March 13-14. Linfield has won nine of the last 10 meetings over Whitworth and is 72-16 all-time.
 
THE PIRATES
Whitworth is 6-4 in the conference and 8-14 overall. The 0.600 conference winning percentage is third in the NWC, the conference standings are based off winning percentage this season.
 
Pirates split a series against the Pacific Lutheran Lutes at home last weekend. Whitworth is batting .324 as a team this season and has hit 13 home runs, Maddy Thomas has hit five home runs and Sara Gayer has hit three.
 
Thomas also leads the team with 21 RBIs, Gayer and Haley Montoya are second with 17. Gayer leads the conference with a .574 batting average and .658 on-base percentage. Heather Menzer has 10 RBIs.
 
The two main starters for the Pirates are Drea Schwaier-Wolf, who has a 5.81 ERA in 10 starts and Corinne Vasiloff, who has an ERA of 5.81 in seven starts. Schwaier-Wolf has 26 strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield returns home to face Willamette on April 24-25.