PORTLAND, Ore. – Pitchers
Tayah Kelley and
Tyler McNeley combined for 21 strikeouts and the Linfield batting order produced four home runs, leading the second-ranked Wildcats to a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep of Lewis & Clark Saturday at the Pioneers' newly renovated diamond.
With the bookend victories, Linfield ran its record to 30-0 and 18-0 against conference competition. Lewis & Clark, which entered the weekend sporting the NWC's second-best league record behind Linfield, dropped to 13-5 in league play and 19-11 overall.
Cydney Hess,
Jacey Leyvas and
Kaili Saathoff all contributed three hits for Linfield, which amassed 15 hits over 13 innings.
GAME 1: Linfield 12, Lewis & Clark 4, 6 innings
Emerging from a 4-all tie, Linfield broke loose with eight runs in the sixth inning to turn what had been a pitchers' duel into a rout.
Claire Seats put the finishing touches on the explosion, smacking her team-leading ninth home run of the season. Saathoff and
Brynn Nelson both drove in three runs in the contest. Nelson's first-inning home run, a two-run shot to left-center field, gave Linfield a lead a 3-1 advantage in the early going.
Scattering four hits and one walk, Kelley improved to 19-0 for the season. With 13 strikeouts, the senior righthander surpassed 800 strikeouts for her career.
Pioneers starter Maggie O'Leary took the loss to fall to 9-5. She surrendered eight hits and three walks while striking out seven.
Megan Yanagi had two hits, including a home run, to lead the L&C offense.
GAME 2: Linfield 3, Lewis & Clark 1
Much like the day's first game, Linfield broke away from a tie contest in the late innings to claim the victory.
This time it was a two-run homer by Hess in the fifth inning that put the 'Cats over the top. Nelson's first-inning single scored Hess for a quick 1-0 Linfield lead, but Lewis & Clark evened the contest at 1 in the third when Katie Ingersoll scored on an fielder's choice.
McNeley fanned eight Pioneers on her way to her 11th pitching win of the season. She allowed the Pioneers just three hits.
Charlize Pope (8-5) took the loss in the circle for L&C. She struck out seven Wildcats while allowing five hits and two walks.
NEXT
The Wildcats and Pioneers meet again Sunday in Portland to complete the four-game series. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.
