McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield walked it off in Game 1 and came up short in Game 2 to split Saturday's doubleheader with Pacific Lutheran at Roy Helser Field.
The Wildcats pulled off a ninth inning comeback in the opener, winning 6-5 on a wild pitch that scored
Brett Joner from third base. Both teams put up 11 hits in the nightcap, but this time, the Lutes claimed a 6-5 victory and the Opening Weekend series.
Transfer shortstop
Jake Hoskins collected four hits in the two games while
Cage Hardy drove in all but one of the Wildcats' runs in Game 2.
GAME 1: Linfield 6, Pacific Lutheran 5
Aaron Barber put PLU on the board with a two-out solo home run to right-center field in the first inning. The Lutes scored with two outs again in the second inning when Braeden Lundberg singled to right to score Ashton Barton. Barber left his mark again in the third with a sacrifice fly to give the Lutes an early 3-0 advantage.
Garrett Moen cut Linfield's deficit to one with a two-run single to right-center in the third inning.
Cameron Skinner tied the game at 3-apiece in the sixth, doubling to right-center to cash in
Branden Pasion.
Andy Schmitz took the lead back for PLU in the seventh, sending a two-run shot over the fence in left field to put the Lutes up 5-3. But the 'Cats got a run back when Joner notched a sac fly in the bottom half of the inning.
When it comes to ninth-inning comebacks, the leadoff batter sets the tone. Hoskins did just that, smashing a homer to left to tie it. Following back-to-back strikeouts, Joner drew a walk and then advanced to third on a single by
Ethan Rhoads.
Bodey Smith then drew a walk to load the bases.
With the bases juiced, the Lutes' Chris Moreno threw a pitch too high for his catcher to handle. The ball kicked off to the backstop, allowing Joner to score safely as the winning run.
Hoskins went 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. Rhoads also went 2 for 3.
Andrew Del Biaggio threw four innings in his first outing of the season, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out four.
Casey Struckmeier tossed the last two innings to pick up his first collegiate win on the mound.
GAME 2: Pacific Lutheran 6, Linfield 5
Linfield took a 5-1 lead after three innings, but PLU scored five runs in the fifth to secure a series victory on the road.
The 'Cats drew first blood.
Nick Holm came to the plate in the first inning and fouled out on the first base side, but Moen tagged up from third to score the first run of the game.
Hardy registered a pair of two-RBI singles in the first and third innings, driving Pasion and Skinner home on both hits. Hardy finished 3 for 4 with four RBI while Moen, Hoskins and Pasion had two hits each.
Grant Knox threw four scoreless innings in relief to highlight the Linfield pitching staff, allowing just one hit and a hit by pitch.
Jackson Koons went 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run in the first start of his sophomore campaign.
NEXT
Linfield (1-2) will travel to warmer weather next week, playing at La Verne on Feb. 9-11. Northwest Conference play begins in Newberg as the 'Cats take on George Fox on Feb. 18-19.
