WHITTIER, Calif. – Linfield and Whittier split a season-opening softball series Saturday afternoon at Palmer Field.
Tayah Kelley pitched a complete-game four-hitter, leading the 20th-ranked Wildcats past the Poets in the opener.
In the nightcap, Linfield fell behind 10-1 in the opening two innings, before making the game respectable in a 12-8 defeat.
GAME 1: Linfield 3, Whittier 1
Kelley struck out three Whittier batters and walked one on the way to earning the victory in her season debut.
Whittier scored the game's initial run in the fourth inning before Linfield knotted the score on
Katie Phillips' RBI single to left field. Run-scoring hits by
Katrina Johns and Abi Proffit in the sixth inning enabled Linfield to surge past Whittier in the late innings.
Kamryn Mobley went 3 for 4 and
Baily Paul was 2 for 3 to lead the Wildcats at the plate.
Linfield snagged four stolen bases, including two by Paul.
GAME 2: Whittier 12, Linfield 8
Wildcats starter
Cheyenne Datan was roughed up by Whittier in the opening frame. The senior transfer from Pacific surrendered nine hits and nine earned runs.
Hailey Wadsworth took over in the circle to begin the second inning and enjoyed better success against the Poet hitters. The freshman from Happy Valley allowed three hits the rest of the way.
Linfield made a game of it, generating a combined five runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Proffitt and Johns each smacked two-run home runs in the third and fifth innings, respectively. Johns finished 2 for 3 with five RBI. Designated player
Kaili Saathoff went 3 for 4 and drove in a run.
Whittier outhit Linfield by a narrow 16-14 margin. Phillips and
Claire Seats also contributed a pair of hits for the 'Cats.
NEXT:
Linfield heads to Claremont, California, for a doubleheader on Sunday at Pomona-Pitzer. First pitch is set for 12 noon.
