NEWBERG, Ore. – Northwest Conference front-runners Linfield and George Fox tangled Friday afternoon at the Morse Athletic Fields and each team produced late-game heroics to claim one game from the other in the much-anticipated doubleheader.
 
George Fox rode the hot bat of Claire Fountain to capture the opening contest 5-3. Linfield climbed from a 6-3 hole in the late innings to prevail in the nightcap, 7-6.
 
Linfield (32-6, 21-5 NWC) and George Fox (24-7, 22-4 NWC) entered the championship-deciding series neck-and-neck in the NWC standings. After
Friday's results, the Wildcats must defeat the Bruins twice on Monday to claim their third straight conference crown as well as the right to host next week's NWC Tournament.
 
GAME 1: George Fox 5, Linfield 3
Fountain clubbed two home runs, including the game-winning runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie the opening game.
 
Linfield battled back from a 3-1 deficit to pull even with the Bruins following home runs by Jenny Ball and Kamryn Apling in the seventh inning.
 
Fountain had the last word, launching her second homer of the game over the left-field fence.
 
Linfield outhit George Fox 7-5. Wildcats starter Tayah Kelley (13-3) struck out a career-high 12 batters but she issued five walks and also hit three batters to put three more runners on base.
 
George Fox's Ashley Davis pocketed the complete-game victory. Davis struck out four Wildcats and allow no walks.
 
Apling and Baily Paul each had two hits in the game to pace Linfield at the plate.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 7, George Fox 6
Katie Phillips' sacrifice fly to center field in the seventh inning bought Apling just enough to reach home plate, putting the Wildcats on top to stay.
 
Katrinia Johns and Kamryn Mobley both drilled home runs for the Wildcats while the Bruins lofted three roundtrippers of their own.
 
Freshman Tyler Warden started the game but struggled early on, allowing two bases-loaded walks to put the Bruins in front 2-0 in the third inning.
 
Paul and Mobley each accounted for two hits to lead the 'Cats offensively. Mobley drove in three runs.
 
Kelley, who came in to pitch the final two innings, earned the pitching win. Davis, who replaced GFU starter Sarah Storton for the final 1 1/3 innings, suffered the loss in relief.  
 
NEXT
With both universities graduating their respective senior classes this weekend, Linfield and George Fox have agreed to schedule the final regular-season doubleheader on Monday, May 3. Action shifts to Linfield's Del Smith Stadium with action starting at 1 p.m.