CLAREMONT, Calif. – Linfield and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps traded knockout punches, each taking home a victory from the non-conference doubleheader Sunday at Athena Field. The Wildcats rolled to an 8-4 win in the opener, but then watched as the Athenas rallied from a 5-0 deficit to prevail 8-6 in the nightcap, snapping a seven-game series win streak.
Wrapping up a six-game swing through Southern California, the 12th-ranked Wildcats return to Oregon with a 4-2 record. CMS ended the day with a 5-1 record.
Tayah Kelley pitched three complete-game victories in the circle for the 'Cats.
Kaili Saathoff led Linfield with 11 hits, seven RBI and two stolen bases over the six games.
GAME 1: Linfield 8, Claremont-M-S 4
Linfield led from start to finish while piling up 12 hits. Saathoff,
Katie Phillips and
Brynn Nelson all contributed doubles in the contest.
Cydney Hess,
Ashley Sutton and
Katrina Johns chipped in with two hits each.
Kelley (3-0) scattered nine hits but held the Athenas to just four runs. She struck out four batters and allow no walks.
GAME 2: Claremont-M-S 8, Linfield 6
Linfield vaulted to a 5-0 lead over the opening four innings and appeared on its way to completing a sweep of CMS. But the Athenas refused to go away quietly, eventually knotting the score at 5 in the sixth inning and went on to grab an 8-5 advantage. The Wildcats drew to within 8-6 on
Baily Paul's RBI single in the seventh, but that was as close as Linfield would come.
Kelsie Williams made her first start in the circle for the 'Cats, giving up three hits and a walk over the opening five innings.
CMS jumped on Wildcat relievers
Jordan Bennett and
Tyler Warden in the sixth, plating six runs to seize command. Warden (1-1) was saddled with the loss.
Offensively,
Claire Seats pounded three doubles while Paul, Sutton and Johns each contributed two hits. Linfield outhit CMS 13-8 but the Wildcats stranded 11 runners on base. The 'Cats also committed a season-high four errors.
AHEAD
Linfield enters Northwest Conference play with a four-game series against the Willamette Bearcats in Salem. Saturday's doubleheader begins at noon. Sunday's two-game set starts at 11 a.m.
