McMINNVILLE, Ore. – George Fox slugger Savannah Vargas' home run in the sixth inning carried the George Fox Bruins to an 8-2 victory over two-time defending Northwest Conference champion Linfield Monday at Del Smith Stadium.
 
Linfield (33-7, 22-6 NWC) dealt George Fox an 8-0 defeat in Monday's opening game, but needed to beat the Bruins twice in order to claim the league title and with it, the right to host the NWC Tournament, which begins Thursday.
 
George Fox's Game 2 victory clinched the program's first outright Northwest Conference championship in program history.
 
Prior to Monday's action, the Wildcats honored their five seniors: Kelsey Wilkinson, Amanda Reser, Shakayla Snyder, Maddy Podnar and Kamryn Apling.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 8, George Fox 0, 6 innings
The Wildcats rolled to the opening-game win using the Bruins' bread-and-butter play: the home run.
 
Abi Proffitt homered twice in the early innings and Baily Paul and Jenny Ball added an insurance runs late to account for all of Linfield's runs.
 
Linfield starter Tayah Kelley was magnificent in the pitching circle. She struck out eight Bruins while yielding just a single hit.
 
Proffitt put the Wildcats in front 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning as the Wildcats junior blasted her second grand slam home run over the left-field wall, giving Linfield the early momentum.
 
Proffit stretched the Wildcats' advantage with a solo home run in the third off the pitch of reliever Emma Eastman.
 
Bruins starter Caitlyn Rhoades took the loss to fall to 0-2. She lasted just one inning and 28 pitches before Proffitt's back-breaking homer forced her to the bench.
 
In the fifth inning, Baily Paul got into the act with her first home run of the year and Ball clubbed her third homer of 2021 to put the game out of reach.
 
Kelsey Wilkinson went 2 for 3 with two doubles while adding her 30^th stolen base of the year. Paul also contributed a pair of hits and scored twice.
 
Olivia Nelson accounted for George Fox's lone hit of the game
 
GAME 2: George Fox 8, Linfield 2
Vargas smacked her 13^th homer of the season in the sixth inning, a two-run shot that gave the Bruins some breathing room. Linfield was unable to answer in the bottom of the frame and the seventh inning saw the Bruins pile on five more runs, including a grand slam by Katie Ladd, to clinch the title.
 
Kelley started Game 2 and kept the Wildcats in the game until the late innings. She struck out seven batters while surrendering five hits and five walks.
 
The Bruins broke open a tight pitchers' duel, ringing up seven runs over the final two innings to pull away from a 1-all tie.
 
Ashley Davis earned the complete-game victory for the Bruins (25-8, 23-5 NWC). She struck out four and walked one while holding the Wildcats to a season-low three hits.
 
NEXT
The four-team NWC Tournament gets underway Thursday at George Fox's Morse Athletic Fields. The winner earns the NWC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
 
THURSDAY, MAY 6
Game 1 – George Fox (1) vs. Whitworth (4), noon
Game 2 –Linfield (2) vs. Lewis & Clark (3), 2:30 p.m.
 
FRIDAY, MAY 7
Game 3 – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 4 –Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 4 p.m.
 
SATURDAY, MAY 8 (OR SUNDAY, MAY 8 if L&C remains alive)
Game 6 – Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, noon
Game 7 Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 Loser, if necessary, 2:30 p.m.