McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield has officially been knocked out of the Northwest Conference Tournament field following a pair of losses to Pacific Lutheran Wednesday at Roy Helser Field.
The doubleheader was a continuation of makeup games from Feb. 25-26. Linfield took the opener 7-3 on March 15, but PLU took the series with 9-8 and 11-5 decisions on Wednesday.
GAME 2: Pacific Lutheran 9, Linfield 8 (11 innings)
Linfield blew up for five runs in the ninth inning off PLU ace Spencer Howell to send the game into extra innings. The Lutes sent the eventual game-winning run across the plate in the 11
th on a double by Aaron Barber. It was the second baseman's first hit of the game.
Pacific Lutheran's all-time home run king, Cole Trotignon crushed a towering blast to left field to put the Lutes up 2-0 in the third inning.
Jake Hoskins cut Linfield's deficit back to one run with a solo shot to left-center the next half inning. It was his fifth homer of the season.
Brett Joner tied the game at 2-apiece in the sixth inning on a bunt single to third base that scored
Cameron Skinner.
The Lutes smacked four home runs in the game. Ashton Barton hit a two-run bomb in the seventh and was followed by a solo homer by Rutger Youch in the eighth. Rochne Beechum broke the game open with a three-run rocket that cleared the scoreboard in right field.
Nick Holm started Linfield's ninth-inning rally with an RBI double to left-center. Skinner followed with a run-scoring groundout to make it a three-run game with two outs. With two runners on base,
Cage Hardy entered the game as a pinch hitter and ripped a bases-clearing double to put the 'Cats within one.
Garrett Moen's single down the left-field line sent Hardy home for the game-tying run.
Trent Wainfeld went 4 for 6 for the 'Cats, and Skinner collected three hits, two runs and an RBI. Joner and Hardy drove in two runs apiece.
Wyatt Hurley struck out three batters in 2 2/3 innings pitched.
Gavin Ludlow took the loss after allowing the double to Barber in the 11
th.
GAME 3: Pacific Lutheran 11, Linfield 5
Trotignon did it all to carry PLU in the series finale. He went 3 for 4 at the plate with a walk, four runs and three RBI. He added two more home runs to his program record. The two-way man also earned his second win of the season on the mound, tossing five scoreless innings.
The Lutes pounced on Linfield starter
Grant Knox for five runs in the first inning. They tacked on six more runs to jump out to an 11-0 lead after six frames.
Linfield finally got on the board in the seventh when
Jesse Lopez plated Skinner on a sacrifice fly. Skinner continued his productive day at the plate with a 2-for-3 outing, including an eighth inning grand slam, his first homer of the season.
NEXT
The 'Cats (10-23, 6-15 NWC) will host Willamette over the weekend to wrap up NWC play. First pitch for Saturday's opener is set for noon.
