McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Katie Phillips pounded a double, a triple and a home run, leading the Linfield Wildcats past the Willamette Bearcats 8-0 Saturday afternoon in a Northwest Conference softball game at Del Smith Stadium.
 
The game was shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule. Game 2 of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed by rain.
 
Linfield, ranked 20th in the most recent NFCA Top 25 poll, improved to 6-1 and 3-0 in the NWC. Willamette saw its record slip to 2-6 and 0-3 in the NWC.
 
Linfield plated four runs in the first inning, highlighted by Phillips' first homer of the season and a RBI triple by Kamryn Mobley.
 
After Phillips tripled in the second inning, Katrina Johns made it 5-0 in favor of the hosts with a single to left field that scored Phillips.
 
The Wildcats put the game out of reach in the third inning.
 
Johns and Paul each had two hits, part of Linfield's 10-hit output.
 
Wildcats pitcher Tayah Kelley pitched her second complete-game shutout in as many days, improving to 4-0 for the season. She struck out seven Bearcats across five innings, yielding three hits and no walks.
 
Bearcats starter Faith Collar (0-2) took the loss. She allowed four hits and two walks during the first inning before being replaced by Carrie Dose.
 
NEXT
Linfield heads to Columbus, Georgia, in the coming week to compete in the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Wildcats open the tournament on Friday with games against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Manhanttanville.
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