McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Every batter in the Linfield lineup got a hit and the Wildcats opened a four-game week with a 7-3 win over Pacific Lutheran Wednesday at Roy Helser Field.
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The contest was the first of a three-game Northwest Conference makeup series that was previously scheduled for Feb. 25-26 but was postponed due to inclement weather. The remainder of the series will be played in a doubleheader on April 12 in McMinnville.
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Pacific Lutheran scored a run in each of the first two innings. Linfield broke the game open with five runs on seven hits in the third inning. Three of those runs were scored during a two-out rally by the Wildcats.
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Braden Woods and
Bodey Smith led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Both came around to score on a two-run single through the right side by
Danny Kahn in his fifth game back from injury.
Nick Holm drove in a run later in the inning before
Garrett Moen ripped another two-run single for the 'Cats.
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The Lutes scored a run in the fifth to trim the Linfield lead to two, but Moen made it a 6-3 ballgame with another base knock in the bottom half of the inning.
Cameron Skinner drove in his eighth run of the season in the sixth.
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Kahn, Holm, Skinner,
Tyler Marr and Moen all notched two hits. Holm scored twice. Smith drew three walks in the leadoff spot. Moen led the team with three RBI.
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Grant Knox gave up two runs in his first start of the season.
Aidan McCann picked up his first win of the year. He threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four PLU batters.
Connor Nelson,
Jackson Koons and
Gavin Ludlow finished the game without giving up a hit.
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Linfield (8-9, 5-5 NWC) has won three of its last four NWC games. The Wildcats sit in fourth place in the conference standings, a half game back of third-place Lewis & Clark, which received nine votes in the latest D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25, released Tuesday.
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NEXT
The 'Cats will be in Walla Walla, Washington, this weekend to take on the Whitman Blues (11-6, 3-3 NWC).