McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Following a one-run loss in extra innings to rival George Fox, the Linfield Wildcats responded with an emphatic 8-3 victory over Pacific Lutheran in an elimination game late Saturday at the NWC Tournament. Earlier Saturday underdog George Fox prevailed over perennial champion Linfield 3-2 in 10 innings at Del Smith Stadium.
 
The victory earned Linfield a rematch with George Fox in the NWC championship game on Sunday. The Wildcats must defeat the Bruins twice in order to claim the NWC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III regional playoffs.
 
George Fox 3, Linfield 1
GFU's Brooke Riggins tallied the go-ahead run on a sacrifice RBI from Madelyn Loughary in the top of the 10th. Bruins ace Ashley Davis kept the 'Cats off the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, handing Linfield its first NWC Tournament defeat since 2017.
 
George Fox (27-15) advances to Sunday's championship game at noon. Linfield (38-4), which saw its 19-game win streak snapped, plays an elimination game Saturday at approximately 5 p.m. versus the winner of Saturday's Pacific Lutheran/Whitworth matchup.
 
Linfield seemingly got off to a great start in the first inning. The 'Cats positioned runners at second and third base, only to leave them both stranded.
 
Linfield All-America pitcher Tayah Kelley reached a significant milestone in the middle of the fifth inning, fanning Bruins one-time All-American Claire Fountain for her 600th career strikeout. Kelley finished the game with nine strikeouts, and despite an exceptional effort in the circle, was saddled with her first loss of the season to fall to 25-1.
 
The Bruins drew first blood in the top of the third inning. Fountain led off the inning with a triple that landed just inside the left-field foul pole. Kimberly Pulido delivered a sacrifice bunt shortly after, allowing Fountain to beat out Katie Phillips' throw from the outfield. Kamryn Potter then laid down sacrifice bunt of her own, making the score 2-0.
 
Bruins ace Ashley Davis kept the Wildcats out of rhythm the entire game, at one point retiring 16 straight batters before grazing Ashley Sutton with a two-strike, two-out pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
 
With Sutton aboard, Katrina Johns forced extra innings when she delivered a jaw-dropping home run, tying the game at 2 and breaking up a string of 15 straight shutout innings by Davis to begin the 2023 postseason.
  Linfield 8, Pacific Lutheran 3
Kelley struck out nine Lutes on the way to her 26th win of the season. It capped a long day for Linfield's senior ace, who threw 157 versus the Lutes and 139 earlier against the Bruins.
 
Brynn Nelson put Linfield on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, stroking a singled to center field, enabling Katie Phillips to score from third base.
 
The Lutes put two runners on base in the second, but Kelley struck out Casey Wright and got Cailey Collado to pop up into the glove of catcher Ashley Sutton.
 
In the third, Kennedy Kila blasted her 14th home run of the year, a two-run missle, giving the Lutes a 2-1 edge.
 
The Wildcats parked runners at second and third with one out in the fourth, and freshman Ashlyn Aven came through with a two-run single to center field, taking a 3-2 lead.
 
PLU tied the game once more in the fifth after Paola Garcia strung a single through the middle of the infield, opening the door for Mari Foster to score from second base.
 
In the fifth, Cydney Hess pounded an RBI double to left-center field, driving home Seats from third base. Sutton then launched a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Nelson. A wild pitch by Lutes ace Cassidy Conrad provided Hess the opportunity to add another run, making it 6-3 in favor of the hosts.
 
Phillips smashed a triple in the sixth to drive in Saathoff from second base, then Seats laid down a sacrifice to plate Phillips, putting the 'Cats in front 8-3.
 
Phillips went 3 for 4 in the game. Seats and Nelson each delivered a pair of hits to fuel a 10-hit Linfield attack.
 
Garcia produced two of PLU's seven hits.
 
PLU ended its season at 27-16.
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