McMINNVILLE, Ore. –
Camden Oram pitched a complete-game shutout, highlighting the home debut for the Linfield Wildcats, who split a non-conference doubleheader with Central Washington Friday afternoon at Roy Helser Field.
Linfield blanked CWU 6-0 in the opener before falling 6-5 in the late innings of the nightcap.
GAME 1: Linfield 6, Central Washington 0
Oram (1-1) was masterful in his home debut, holding CWU to four hits while going the distance on the mound.
Linfield accounted for six hits, including two hits and a pair of runs scored by newcomer
Elijah Maris and a couple of knocks from designated hitter
Wyatt Hurley.
Maris, Hurley and
Trent Wainfeld all drilled doubles in the contest.
The home-standing Wildcats plated two runs in each of the first, fourth and seventh innings to secure their first victory of the season.
CWU starter Alex Brady (1-2) took the loss. He surrendered six hits and four runs across before giving way to a trio of relievers.
GAME 2: Central Washington 6, Linfield 5
Andrew Sharp's game-winning single to right field in the top of the seventh inning proved to be the difference, helping Central come away with a split of the twinbill.
With the game knotted at 4 in the sixth, Maris pushed the go-ahead run home on a fielder's choice, scoring
Hunter Klingelhoffer from third base.
Central tied the score in the top of the seventh, getting an RBI single from Kevin Varner Jr. that scored Marcus Manzardo from second. Moments later, Varner scored to put the visitors back on top for good on the strenghth of Sharp's deciding single.
Linfield nearly rallied, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but
Matthew Lewis popped out to extinguish the imminent threat.
Central outhit Linfield 10-9. Klingelhoffer and Joner each produced two hits for Linfield.
Reliever
Gavin Ludlow (0-1) took the loss in relief. The righthanded senior gave up five hits, a walk and two runs in the seventh.
CWU reliever Nolan Milliman earned the win to improve to 2-2. Drew Richardson pitched the final frame, pocketing his second save of the season.
NEXT
Linfield (1-4) hosts St. Martin's, another Division II program, on Saturday in a doubleheader starting at noon at Roy Helser Field.
