McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield held Pacific scoreless across 12 innings to take both end of a Northwest Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.
 
The third-ranked Wildcats (26-0, 14-0 NWC) won the opener 3-0 before turning the offense loose on the way to a 10-0 five-inning whitewash of the Boxers in the nightcap. Pacific (7-19, 3-11 NWC) saw its losing streak grow to six in a row.
 
Cydney Hess drove in five runs and Kaili Saathoff added four more RBIs to lead a 13-hit afternoon.
 
Linfield pitchers Tayah Kelley and Tyler McNeley combined for 19 strikeouts and allowed no walks.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 3, Pacific 0
Kelley tossed a complete-game shutout and Saathoff drove in all three runs to pace the Wildcats in the opener.
 
Showcasing her brilliance in the third inning, Kelley needed just nine pitches to strike out all three Pacific batters.
 
Kelley raised her pitching record to a Division III-best 16-0, holding the Boxers to just two hits. She struck out 12 batters.
 
Linfield plated two quick runs in the first inning. Meara Sain ripped a leadoff double to center field to begin the game and Saathoff followed with a home run – her first of the season – on the first pitch she faced.
 
The Wildcats added an insurance run in the second. After Ashley Sutton drew a walk off Boxers starter Karlie Espinoza, Saathoff laced a single to center field that enabled pinch runner Annika Dayberry to score from second base.
 
Despite a solid all-around effort in the circle, Espinoza was saddled with the loss. The freshman allowed six hits, including four for extra-bases, and walked a pair of Wildcats to fall to 3-7 for the season.
 
Saathoff went 2 for 3 at the plate. Sain, Claire Seats, Brynn Nelson and Tiani Wayton also contributed hits in the game.
 
Faith Lawson and Chloe Knepp accounted for Pacific's only hits.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 10, Pacific 0, 5 innings
McNeley, the Game 2 starter, struck out seven batters without giving up a single walk. The freshman righthander scattered three hits while moving to 10-0 for the season.
 
Linfield outhit Pacific 7-3 while taking advantage of four Boxers errors and four hit batters.
 
Linfield broke the ice in a big way with five runs in the second. The 'Cats executed a double steal and Sophia vanderSommen scored on the same play, capitalizing on a throwing error. Moments later, Sutton beat out a bunt single, buying vanderSommon enough time to score from third base for a quick 2-0 Linfield advantage. Hess followed with a two-run double and Sydney Ries tapped a single to right field for a 5-0 Linfield lead while chasing Boxers starter Abby Surowiec from the game.
 
In the third, the Wildcats positioned runners at second and third bases with two outs. Hess threaded a low-lying grounder through the infield to plate two runs and Nelson added an RBI single to stretch the Wildcats' lead to 8-0.
 
A base-loaded hit-by-pitch issued by Pacific reliever Kiara Baba, plus an RBI flyout by Hess in the fourth put the Wildcats comfortably in front 10-0.
 
Sarowiec (1-3) took the loss. She lasted just 1 1/3 innings, giving up four hits, two walks and five runs.
 
NEXT
The Wildcats and Boxers return to Del Smith Stadium Sunday to complete the four-game series with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
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