FOREST GROVE, Ore. –
Tayah Kelley spun a two-hit shutout in the opener, then recorded a second win as the closer in the nightcap for the sixth-ranked Linfield Wildcats, who held off a feisty effort by the Pacific Boxers in a Northwest Conference doubleheader Friday evening at Pacific's Sherman/Larkins Stadium.
In total, Kelley struck out 17 batters over nine innings, raising her career punchout total to 570.
The Wildcats blanked the Boxers 4-0 in Game 1 , then dug deep to push home two runs in the seventh inning to capture the second contest 5-3.
Linfield upped its season record to 33-3 and 23-1 versus NWC competition. Pacific dipped to 7-27 overall and 5-21 in conference play.
GAME 1: Linfield 4, Pacific 0
Kelley fanned 11 Boxers in a complete-game effort, logging her 20th victory of the season without a loss.
The Wildcats struck for all four of their runs in the third inning, each coming unearned. Run-scoring singles by
Katie Phillips,
Cydney Hess and
Ashley Sutton, plus an RBI double from
Brynn Nelson, provided all the scoring Linfield would need behind Kelley.
Phillips produced two of Linfield's seven hits in the game.
Rylee Patton and Rylie Kihara generated Pacific's two hits. Boxers starter Mia Barrozo (4-11) went the distance in the circle, striking out two and walking one.
GAME 2: Linfield 5, Pacific 3
Pacific struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning but Linfield had the last laugh.
Claire Seats drove in the go-ahead run, enabling
Kaili Saathoff to score from third base, and moments later Hess added an insurance run with a ground out RBI, sending Phillips across home plate.
Saathoff scored three times in the game and also nabbed three stolen bases. Seats drove in three runs and
Baily Paul tallied two hits and scored one run.
Tyler Warden started the game in the circle for Linfield but gave up five hits and three walks over the firest two innings.
Hailey Wadsworth held the Boxers to a single run while striking out five in three innings of relief. Kelley entered the game in the sixth, striking out all six batters she faced.
Sydney Rusin had three hits to lead Pacific at the plate. Rusin (1-3) was the losing pitcher of record, yielding seven hits and three walks while striking out three Wildcats.
NEXT
Linfield and Pacific meet again for two more contests on Saturday, this time at Linfield's Del Smith Stadium. Senior Day recognitions begin at approximately 1:40 p.m., with the first pitch scheduled for 2 o'clock.
