SALEM, Ore. – Linfield's 22 total hits weren't enough to get past Willamette as the Bearcats swept the doubleheader on Friday afternoon at John Lewis Field. The Wildcats lost an offensive dual in game one, falling 17-9 before being edged again in game two 7-3.
Willamette smashed four home runs and tallied 29 hits while
Wyatt Hurley hit Linfield's lone home run.
Nick Holm led Linfield with four total hits while four other Wildcats poured in two hits.
GAME 1: Willamette 17 - Linfield 9
Hits were plenty in the first bout as the two sides totaled 18 and 16 hits respectively.
Elijah Maris,
Nick Holm (2),
Hunter Klingelhoffer and
Jackson Bui all drilled extra-base hits. Kleinschmidt and Klingelhoffer combined for four RBIs with all of Linfield's nine runs coming between the fifth through eighth innings.
Camden Oram (3-3) was jumped on early by Bearcats hitters. Oram went four innings, giving up nine hits and five earned runs. Five other pitchers touched the rubber for the Wildcats.
Willamette (17-4, 10-4 NWC) scored at least one run in every inning but one. The top three hitters in the Bearcats' lineup combined for nine runs and nine hits. Tassos Foster and Jeff Hoffman each each hit a home run while Drew Baskin led all hitters with four RBIs.
Layton Wagner earned his fifth win of the season after holding the Wildcats scoreless in the first four innings and racking up six strikeouts.
GAME 2: Willamette 7 - Linfield 3
Linfield's lead in the second inning was short-lived after Willamette responded with four runs in the home half of the frame. The Wildcats plated two more runs in the sixth and eighth innings while the Bearcats scored three runs across the fifth and seven frames.
Casey Struckmeier (0-3) went six innings but was tagged with the loss after giving up five earned runs.
Matthew Lewis and Hurley accounted for Linfield's two RBIs while Hurley led the offense with two hits. The Wildcats were held without an extra-base hit.
Steven Verespey (3-2) earned the win after hurling seven innings surrendering one earned run and adding four punch outs. Jeff Hoffman and Carter Stoltz each hit home runs while Stoltz and Adam Birt combined for five of six Bearcat RBIs.
ON DECK
The Wildcats (8-13, 3-7 NWC) return to the field against Willamette on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for noon.
