FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The Linfield Wildcats outslugged the George Fox Bruins, 15-9, to open their Northwest Conference Tournament in style Friday afternoon at Pacific University's Chuck Bafaro Stadium. The win sets up a much-anticipated matchup between the Wildcats and Boxers, the two teams that finished tied atop the NWC standings and shared the regular season title.
The Wildcats scored in bunches, outhitting their cross-county foes 16-12. Both teams threw five pitchers in the slugfest as the 'Cats fended off a late Bruin comeback to earn their first postseason victory since 2017.
Linfield took an early 5-2 lead after two innings before George Fox cut the deficit to one run with a two-spot in the third. The 'Cats went on to score 10 straight runs, including five in the fourth and another four in the fifth before adding an extra insurance run in the seventh. The Bruins sent a combined five runners across the plate in the final two innings, but it was already said and done as the 'Cats held on to advance to Saturday's winners' bracket.
Five Linfield batters notched two or more hits.
Brett Joner went off with a 4-for-5 performance with two runs and a second-inning two-RBI double up the middle.
Tanner Jacques and
Mike LaVigne each collected three hits, two runs and two RBI while
Jacob Campos and
Jackson Horner also drove in a pair of runs.
Daniel Kahn led the run production with three RBI, slapping a sacrifice fly in the first inning before ripping a two-run single to center in the fourth.
Rarely does a team put up nine runs on 12 hits just to end up on the losing side of things, but that's how the day went for George Fox. Jeremy Sangalang finished 3 for 4 while Spencer Roos went 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBI. Mason Eastman contributed a pinch-hit three-run double to left field in the ninth.
It was a team effort for the Linfield pitching staff after
Jackson Koons exited the game after giving up four runs on six hits in three innings pitched.
Sam Adams tossed a clean fourth inning before handing the ball to
Nick Alder in the fifth. Alder went 3 2/3 scoreless innings to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Logan Travis allowed five runs, three earned, in one inning of work while
Skyler Manelski entered the game to pick up the final out.
NEXT
The No. 2-seeded 'Cats (19-15, 14-10 NWC) will play the top-seeded and host Boxers (24-13, 14-10 NWC) following an elimination game between No. 3 George Fox and No. 4 Pacific Lutheran. First pitch for the 'Cats and Boxers is set for 1 p.m. Pacific took two of three games from Linfield back on March 26-27.
