EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Katie Phillips pounded three hits and drove in three runs, and Tayah Kelley scattered five hits for the Linfield Wildcats, who fought of Southern Maine 10-2 in a five-inning first-round game Friday afternoon at the NCAA Division III Eau Claire Regional at Bollinger Fields.
 
Linfield (37-7) advances to play Alfred (32-9) Saturday at 10 a.m. PDT. Southern Maine (31-5-1), which found itself on the losing end of a run-rule game for the first time this season, dropped into an elimination game Saturday at 8 a.m. PDT.
 
Phillips notched two singles and a double. Kelsey Wilkinson scored three times and stole a pair of bases for the Wildcats, who had their way on the base paths all afternoon, successfully stealing seven times.
 
The game didn't begin well for Linfield as Southern Maine immediately loaded the bases on Kelley without a single out being recorded. But the 'Cats limited the collateral damage to only a single run, that coming on Lauren Leidemann-Smith's sacrifice fly that scored Emily Martin from third base.
 
Linfield recovered quickly, ringing up three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Phillips, Baily Paul and Kamryn Mobley took turns driving home runs.
 
The Wildcats added two more runs in the second inning to stretch their advantage to 5-1. Wilkinson tripled to send Katrina Johns sprinting for home and Kamryn Apling followed with a run-scoring single to left field that scored Wilkinson. Then came a lengthy delay in the inning after Apling was injured diving into third base. She left the game and did not return.
 
The Huskies made it 5-2 in the top of the third inning after Ashley Tinsman lofted a solo home run over the center-field wall. With Kelley in complete control throughout the opening four innings, Southern Maine would come no closer.
 
Linfield rounded out the scoring with a Johns single in the bottom of the third that drove in McDaniel and Phillips' fifth-inning double ended the game by virtue of the eight-run rule.
 
Kelley struck out four Huskies and walked two in four innings' work, boosting her season record to 18-4. Maddy Podnar closed out the Huskies, facing five batters in the fifth.
 
USM's Kirsten Pelletier, a 13-game winner, suffered only her second defeat of the season. She lasted an inning and a third before being chased from the circle. Pelletier allowed six hits, five runs and one walk in her short appearance.
 
Linfield outhit Southern Maine 14-5. In addition to Phillips' three hits, Wilkinson, Johns and Abi Proffit all contributed a pair of singles.
 
Tinsman had two of the Huskies' five hits.
 
In other first-round games Friday, UW Oshkosh downed Illinois College 4-2 and Alfred defeated Piedmont 3-0. In Friday's late game, Piedmont eliminated Illinois College 10-1 in five innings.
 
Saturday Schedule
UW-Oshkosh vs. Southern Maine, 8 a.m. PDT
Alfred vs. Linfield, 10 a.m. PDT
Piedmont vs. TBA, noon PDT
TBA, 2 p.m. PDT