McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Freshman
Cydney Hess blasted two home runs among her four hits on Saturday, leading the Linfield Wildcats to a doubleheader sweep of the Pacific Boxers on Senior Day at Del Smith Stadium.
Defeating Pacific by scores of 6-2 and 5-1, Linfield completed a perfect eight-game stretch of games over four consecutive days.
The sixth-ranked Wildcats moved to 35-3 on the season and 25-1 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific dropped to 7-29, 5-23 in league play.
Prior to Saturday's first pitch, the coaching staff honored graduating seniors
Jordan Bennett,
Emma Podliska,
Tayah Kelley,
Haley Gutierrez,
Savannah Fitzgerald and
Kamryn Mobley as well as graduate students
Katrina Johns,
Baily Paul,
Katie Phillips and
Cheyenne Datan.
GAME 1: Linfield 6, Pacific 2
Hess drilled a double and smacked her first collegiate home run to lift the 'Cats past the Boxers.
Claire Seats also had a pair of hits for Linfield.
Kelley stuck out six Boxers while scattering three hits. She raised her season record to a NCAA Division III-leading 22-0.
Phillips got things rolling with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning and Seats followed with an RBI single through the left side.
Paul added to the Wildcats' total in the second, logging a ground-out RBI to drive home Johns from third base. A solo home run by Hess in the third put the hosts in front 5-0.
Carli Zanassi put the Boxers on the scoreboard with a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the fourth, cutting the Wildcats' advantage to 5-2.
In the sixth, Seats laced a double to left field, then Hess delivered an RBI single to push Seats across home plate.
Mia Barrozo went the distance in the circle for Pacific. She struck out four and walked two Wildcats, yielding eight hits.
Zanassi, Samantha Petit, Rylee Patton accounted for Pacific's three hits in the contest.
GAME 2: Linfield 5, Pacific 1
Tyler Warden held the Boxers to three hits and one run, helping Linfield complete the four-game series sweep.
Hess blasted her second home run of the day as the 'Cats built a 4-0 edge through three innings.
Linfield padded its lead with a line-drive RBI double by Seats in the fifth, scoring
Kaili Saathoff all the way from first base.
Ellie Ishikawa plated the Boxers' lone run, scoring on a wild pitch.
NEXT
Linfield heads to Tacoma on Tuesday to complete its NWC schedule. Linfield and Puget Sound are set to complete a suspended game from April 8, then play the fourth game of the series.
The Wildcats, by virtue of winning the Northwest Conference championship, have earned the right to host the four-team NWC Tournament, Friday-Sunday at Del Smith Stadium.
