McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield Wildcats enjoyed the sweet taste of victory on Good Friday, taking the second game of a doubleheader from the Northwest Conference-leading Whitman Blues at sun-splashed Roy Helser Field.
The Wildcats and Blues staged a tight battle in Game 1. Whitman surged to a 6-3 win in the opener with help from timely hitting in the late going. Linfield returned the favor in Game 2, led by
Tanner Earhart's two RBIs plus solid pitching from starter
Andrew Del Biaggio and closer
Sam Adams.
Linfield, which had dropped seven of its last eight contests, was determined to knock off Whitman. The Blues came into the series sporting a 6-2 NWC record to lead all conferece teams.
GAME 1: Whitman 6, Linfield 3
Garrett Runyon's double to left field in the eighth inning broke a 3-all tie and proved to be the difference in an otherwise tight ball game. TeaguiConder singled to right field later in the two batters later, pushing the visitors' lead to 6-3.
Levi Horner-Villa turned in an outstanding effort for the Wildcats, going 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
Jackson Horner and
Garrett Moen accounted for Linfield's remaining two hits.
Linfield starter
Gage Mack held his ground through the better part of six innings, scattering four hits and three walks.
Colton Meyer,
Skyler Manelski and
Michael Schutz held the Blues to four hits over the final three frames. Meyer was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-6.
Whitman starter Dexter Aichele earned the win to improve to 3-1 for the season. Jerick Nomura had a pair of hits and Simeon Downing pounded a home run in the second inning to carry the Blues at the plate.
GAME 2: Linfield 4, Whitman 1
After spotting the Blues a 1-0 advantage, the Wildcats responded by scoring the next four runs. A
Reid Sturn single in the second inning opened the door for
Wyatt Smith to score.
Mike LaVigne gave Linfield the lead with a ground-out RBI minutes later. Earhart then stepped to the plate and delivered a single deep to center field, scoring Sturn and
Ryan Kamp.
Leo Rivera's sacrifice RBI in the sixth brought Whitman to within two runs, 4-2, but Adams held the Blues without a hit over the final 1 2/3 innings to earn his second save of the season.
Del Biaggio (1-1) scattered five hits and four walks across 5 1/3 innings, striking out three batters along the way.
In addition to Earhart's two base hits, Sturn went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
NEXT
The teams return to Helser Field on Saturday to complete the four-game series. First pitch is set for 12 noon with the live video webcast beginning at 11:50 a.m.
