McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield baseball team scored in six straight innings, but a three-run ninth propelled Lewis & Clark to a 9-8 come-from-behind non-conference victory over the Wildcats Wednesday night at Roy Helser Field.
Jackson Horner drove in
Cameron Skinner with a sacrifice fly to left field in the second inning to open the scoring for Linfield. Lewis & Clark responded in the next half inning with two runs on an RBI fielder's choice by Brennen Davis and an RBI single by Jack Savant.
Daniel Kahn tied the game for the Wildcats in the bottom of the third with an RBI single to right.
A solo home run to right-center by Jack Thomson sparked a three-run fourth inning for the Pioneers. The Wildcats pulled within one run later that inning on a
Mike LaVigne two-run single to right. The 'Cats took back the lead in the fifth on a two-run shot to deep left field by
Wyatt Smith. It was the senior third baseman's second homer of the season.
Linfield entered the ninth inning up 8-6 but couldn't shut the door on its sixth straight win. The Wildcats'
Logan Travis struck out his first batter of the inning before walking the next batter and hitting two more to load the bases for Luke Bass, who tied the game with a two-run double to right. Jakob Ghammachi sent the go-ahead run home on a bases-loaded infield single.
Savant and Bass each collected two hits, scored once and drove in two runs to lead Lewis & Clark. The Pios finished with nine hits to the Wildcats' eight.
Smith went 1 for 2 with three walks while scoring twice.
Tanner Jacques performed well in the leadoff spot again, going 2 for 5 with two runs and an RBI. Kahn continued his hot streak at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance with a run and an RBI.
Travis took the loss for Linfield after allowing three earned runs while walking one and striking out two in 1 1/3 innings pitched.
Nick Alder went three innings in his third start of the season. He allowed two earned runs and struck out three.
Gage Mack tossed 2 1/3 innings while
Skyler Manelski threw a scoreless seventh frame.
Tal Jones picked up his first win of the season for Lewis & Clark while Anthony Clerici earned his third save.
NEXT
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the 'Cats, who fell to 9-9 on the season but remain at 6-4 in Northwest Conference play. The 'Cats will take the rest of the week off before meeting the Pios again on Tuesday. The two teams will resume a suspended game from Feb. 26 before wrapping up the series later that day. The first game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. at the Huston Sports Complex.
