NEWBERG, Ore. – Freshman Jenny Ball's grand slam home run in the first inning set the tone for Linfield during the Wildcats' 9-1 romp over the Whitworth Pirates in the championship game of the Northwest Conference Tournament Saturday afternoon at Morse Athletic Fields.
 
The five-inning victory, which ended in a quick one hour and four minutes, clinched a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs for Linfield (36-7).
 
The Wildcats must wait until May 17 to learn who they will be playing and where they will sent for the regional playoffs, which begin Friday, May 21, at campus sites across the country.
 
Against Whitworth, base hits by Kelsey Wilkinson and Katie Phillips, plus a drawn walk from Baily Paul, allowed the Wildcats to load the bases on Pirates starter Drea Schwaier-Wolf. Ball then smacked her fifth home run of the season over the center-field wall, erasing an early 1-0 Whitworth advantage.
 
Ball's four-run blast was the first of four roundtrippers by the 'Cats on the day. Kamryn Mobley followed with a two-run shot in the third inning and Abi Proffitt belted a solo home run of her own shortly thereafter.
 
With Linfield leading 8-1, Baily Paul put the game on ice, launching a two-run missile to right field in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Wilkinson, who hit over .700 for the tournament, finished the day 2 for 3 at the plate.
 
In her first start of the tournament, senior pitcher Maddy Podnar held the Pirates to two hits. She struck out four and walked two, earning her 20^th career pitching victory while raising her season record to 13-3.
 
Schwaier-Wolf took the loss to fall to 8-10. She lasted just 2 1/3 innings before being lifted in favor of Kylie Harris. Combined, the pair managed just one strikeout.