TACOMA, Wash. – Linfield has won four straight games after taking both games of a doubleheader against Pacific Lutheran on Saturday afternoon at the PLU Baseball Field. The 'Cats topped the Lutes in 10 innings in game one 12-7 before nearly blanking Pacific Lutheran in a game two victory 6-1.
Linfield totaled 27 hits across the two contests while
Nick Holm's streak of consecutive Northwest Conference games with a hit moved to seven.
GAME 1: Linfield 12 - Pacific Lutheran 7 (10 innings)
Camden Oram hurled six and two third innings, striking out three Lutes while giving up five earned runs.
Brian Mannion (2-2) earned the win after two and two-thirds innings of relief work.
Wyatt Hurley and
Trent Wainfeld totaled three hits apiece to lead the Linfield offense.
Tyler Marr and
Elijah Maris combined for six of the 10 'Cats RBIs. Linfield outhit Pacific Lutheran 15-9.
Matthew Sherwood (2-3) was credited with the loss after surrendering four earned runs in one inning of work. Aaron Barber, Ashton Barton and Jaden Pieper each finished with two hits apiece. The Lutes (11-20, 6-11 NWC) tallied five RBIs compared to 10 for the 'Cats.
Linfield's lineup jumped on Pacific Lutheran's starter Jonathan Cohen. The 'Cats tagged Cohen for seven runs in the first four innings as they led 7-1. The Lutes chipped away at the deficit, scoring six runs across the four seventh and eighth innings to tie the contest.
With the game locked at seven, Linfield exploded for five runs in the top of the 10th inning to pull ahead 12-7. In the bottom of the 10th, Mannion walked the first Lutes batter before retiring the next three in order.
GAME 2: Linfield 6 - Pacific Luthern 1
The offensive momentum carried into game two for the Wildcats as they outhit the Lutes again 12-8. Lewis smashed a double and a triple and was one of four Linfield batters to tally two hits.
Danny Kahn,
Nathan Kassler,
Brett Joner and Hurley, all accounted for Linfield's four RBIs.
Declan Francis (1-0) earned the win in his longest outing of the season after going five frames and not giving up a run.
Logan Travis and
Gavin Ludlow combined for the final two innings in relief and didn't give up a run. Linfield stranded 11 runners on base while Pacific Lutheran left eight.
Rutger Youch and Barber combined for half of the Lutes' total hits. Chris Moreno (1-6) was given the loss after giving up six earned runs across six innings pitched.
The 'Cats plated single runs in the second and fourth innings. Four hits in the seventh inning charged a four-run inning for Linfield as the lead grew to 6-0. Pacific Lutheran scratched a solo run across in the bottom of the eighth.
ON DECK
The 'Cats (14-15, 8-8 NWC) return to the diamond on Sunday for the series finale against the Lutes with game action slated for 12 p.m.
