McMINNVILLE, Ore. –
John Over pitched into the seventh inning and eight Wildcats collected hits as the Linfield baseball team claimed a 10-1 series-finale win over Whitworth to avoid a sweep Sunday afternoon at Roy Helser Field.
Over improved to 1-1 on the young season after tossing 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits to go with three strikeouts and two walks. His ERA stands at 4.42 after four starts.
Skyler Manelski took the mound with two outs in the seventh and struck out his only batter of the afternoon.
Colton Meyer went the rest of the way to secure the nine-run victory, striking out three in the final two frames.
Whitworth scored its lone run in the first inning off a Jaxsen Sweum RBI double to center field that drove in Gage Gibson. Gibson went 2 for 3 in the leadoff spot while Riley Cissne went 2 for 4.
The Linfield bats erupted for four runs in the second inning to take the lead.
Tanner Jacques singled to right-center to bring in
Daniel Kahn to get the rally started. Jacques scored later in the inning on a balk. The 'Cats also picked up runs on RBI singles by
Mike LaVigne and
Cameron Skinner.
Linfield added a run in each of the third and fourth innings.
Brett Joner grounded into a fielder's choice to score
Ryan Kamp in the third.
Wyatt Smith drove in
Branden Pasion in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to right field.
Joner, Jacques and LaVigne were in the mix again in a four-run seventh inning. Joner sent
Bodey Smith across the plate with an RBI safety squeeze. The 'Cats tacked on three more on an RBI single by Jacques and a two-run double by LaVigne.
Jacques, LaVigne, Skinner and Kahn all turned in two-hit performances. The leadoff man, Jacques finished 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBI while LaVigne went 2 for 5 with a team-leading three RBI. Kahn went 2 for 3 with two runs and a pair of walks.
Whitworth starter Austin Rice was chased after pitching just two innings, giving up four earned runs on four hits before handing the ball to Josh Grimes. Grimes allowed three runs in four innings of work while Hudson Andrews lasted one inning after the 'Cats scored three runs off of him as well.
NEXT
The 'Cats (5-8, 3-4 NWC) will host Bushnell of the NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference in a non-conference matchup at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. They will return to Northwest Conference play on the road, playing at Whitman on March 12-13.
