McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield baseball team dropped both games to Puget Sound Saturday at Roy Helser Field to open Northwest Conference play.
The Wildcats put together three hits in a 7-1 loss in the series opener. Both teams collected 14 hits in the second game, but the Loggers pulled away late to claim the 8-6 win and a sweep of the doubleheader.
GAME 1: Puget Sound 7, Linfield 1
Owen Shellhammer was dominant in his seven innings of work for UPS, allowing one earned run on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts to improve to 3-0 on the season. He didn't allow a hit until the seventh inning.
The Loggers scored the game's first six runs, picking up one in the second on an RBI groundout by Gio Parascondola. They tacked on two more runs in the fourth off a two-run home run to left field by Cody Hirano. Jacob Ota joined the home run club with a three-run shot of his own in the seventh. A ninth-inning RBI single to center by Dylan Joyce completed the six-run victory.
Junior designated hitter
Cameron Skinner and sophomore outfielder
Bodey Smith led the seventh inning off with back-to-back singles to center to break up Shellhammer's no-hit bid. Sophomore second baseman
Mike LaVigne reached on a fielder's choice to advance Skinner to third. With runners on the corners, junior third baseman
Jackson Horner sent a sacrifice fly to deep center field to drive in Skinner.
Senior first baseman
Branden Pasion recorded the third hit for the 'Cats on a single to center in the eighth inning.
Sophomore
Gage Mack took the loss in his first start of the season. He tossed five innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits to go with three strikeouts. Senior
Skyler Manelski threw a scoreless sixth inning in relief.
GAME 2: Puget Sound 8, Linfield 6
Puget Sound struck first with a first-inning RBI single to center field by Jacob Ota. The 'Cats clawed back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a
Branden Pasion RBI single down the right field line and a fielder's choice by
Jacob Campos.
The Loggers had a big third inning with four runs to chase Linfield starter
Andrew Del Biaggio out of the game. They totaled three hits in the inning while the 'Cats allowed two walks and a hit batter while committing an error. The Loggers scored another run in the fourth on a fielder's choice by Makana Murashige to take a 6-2 lead.
Linfield got back on the board in the fifth when
Mike LaVigne drove in senior shortstop
Tanner Jacques with an RBI double to left-center.
Cameron Skinner followed with a two-run homer to center to bring the 'Cats within one run. LaVigne came up clutch again in the sixth inning, tying the game at 6-6 with an RBI single to left to bring in senior catcher
Wyatt Smith.
In a game that saw a combined 28 hits and 14 runs, it was a pinch hitter who made the difference. Gio Parascondola smacked a seventh-inning two-run homer to center in his only at-bat of the game to power the Loggers to the win in the nightcap.
Jacques and LaVigne both went 3 for 5 in the game while Skinner and
Jackson Horner collected two hits apiece. Del Biaggio went 2.2 innings, allowing five runs, two earned, on six hits. Freshman
Jackson Koons took the loss in 3.2 innings of work. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits while striking out five UPS batters.
NEXT
The 'Cats (2-6, 0-2 NWC) and Loggers (5-4, 2-0 NWC) will wrap up the series on Sunday at Roy Helser Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
