McMINNVILLE, Ore. –
Tayah Kelley struck out 15 batters, earning a win and a save, and the 13
th-ranked Linfield Wildcats swept a Northwest Conference doubleheader from the Puget Sound Loggers Friday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.
Kelley struck out 12 batters and combined to throw a no-hit shutout in the day's opening contest and later teamed up with
Hailey Wadsworth for a three-hit shutout in the second game, fanning the final three batters.
Linfield improved to 27-7 for the season and 19-3 in the NWC. Puget Sound dipped to 4-26 and 4-18 in conference play.
GAME 1: Linfield 13, Puget Sound 0, 5 innings
Kelley was unstoppable in the game's first four innings, mowing down the Loggers in machine-like fashion. The junior righthander improved to 17-3 in the circle, striking out 12 of the 13 batters she faced. Forty of her 60 pitches going went for strikes.
Cheyenne Datan came on in relief of Kelley in the fifth, holding the Loggers without a base hit and preserving the five-inning no-hitter.
Linfield's offense was in fine form, pounding 14 hits on Puget Sound pitcher Maddy Garcia. Leadoff hitter
Chloe McDaniel went 3 for 3 and scored twice,
Baily Paul belted two triples, scored three times and drove in three runs, and
Claire Seats and
Kamryn Mobley each drilled home runs to highlight a banner statistical game for the 'Cats.
Linfield plated two runs in the first inning before erupting for eight more runs in the second and another three in the third stanza.
GAME 2: Linfield 2, Puget Sound 0
Linfield got all the scoring it needed in the first inning while Wadsworth teamed with Kelley to keep Puget Sound off the scoreboard for the second straight game.
In the first, Phillips doubled to score Paul and Nelson tapped an RBI single for a quick 2-0 Linfield lead.
Puget Sound's Savanna Smith held the Wildcats to four hits and two runs, but was tagged with the loss, falling to 1-12.
Wadsworth (4-1) held the Loggers without a run over the first six frames. Kelley then reappeared to close out the Loggers with three straight strikeouts, collecting her second save of the season.
Phillips went 2 for 3 to lead Linfield at the plate. Mobley and Nelson logged the Wildcats' only other base hits.
Hana DeGuzman, Kelsie Sullivan and Emily Moore accounted for Puget Sound's three hits.
NEXT
The Wildcats and Loggers continue their four-game series with a scheduled doubleheader Saturday starting at noon.
