McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield Wildcats showed some pop on offense but left 11 runners on base in a 12-4 non-conference loss to the College of Idaho Yotes Saturday at Roy Helser Field.
Saturday marked the celebration of 10 years since Linfield took home its first NCAA Division III national championship in 2013. The Wildcats also won two national titles in the NAIA era. Members of the 2013 team were recognized on the field, and former head coach Scott Brosius threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Down 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning,
Trent Wainfeld sent a two-run blast over the left-field fence to put Linfield on the scoreboard. It was the second homer of his collegiate career.
Wainfeld was also at the plate when the Wildcats scored another run in the fifth inning. The freshman outfielder popped up to C of I first baseman Skyler Sadora in foul territory with the bases loaded. But after catching the ball, Sadora stepped into the Linfield dugout and was deemed out of play, sending
Branden Pasion across the plate from third base.
Freshman third baseman
Nick Holm took the team lead in homers with his fifth of the season, a no-doubter to deep left field in the seventh inning. Holm,
Danny Kahn and
Tyler Marr registered two hits apiece. Wainfeld finished 3 for 4 while Pasion was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate before being replaced at first base by
Austin Hansen.
Linfield outhit College of Idaho, 15-13, but a four-run fourth inning put the game out of reach for the Yotes. The Yotes scored another run in the sixth inning on a solo shot to center field by Skyler Sadora, who went 3 for 4 with three runs and as many RBI. They tacked on three more insurance runs in the eighth.
Seven pitchers entered the game for the 'Cats.
John Over weathered the storm but allowed four runs on five hits while striking out three in four innings of work. The Yotes' Kirby Robertson earned his fourth win of the season in relief, throwing the last 4 2/3 innings and allowing just one run.
NEXT
The 'Cats (9-17) and Yotes (20-10) will finish the series with a doubleheader on Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
