TACOMA, Wash. –
Jacey Leyvas homered and drove in five runs, and pitchers
Tayah Kelley and
Tyler McNeley combined for 26 strikeouts to lead the third-ranked Linfield Wildcats to a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep of the Puget Sound Loggers Saturday afternoon at rain-soaked Logger Field.
Winning 12-4 and 10-2, Linfield moved to 22-0 for the season while raising its conference record to a perfect 10-0. Puget Sound dipped to 6-12 and 4-6 in the NWC.
GAME 1: Linfield 12, Puget Sound 4
Kelley fanned a career-high 16 UPS batters and
Tiani Wayton drove in three runs in just her second career start, carrying the 'Cats to a decisive win in Saturday's opening contest.
Kelley remained unbeaten on the season, improving to 13-0 with a two-hit complete game victory.
Wayton got the scoring underway in the second inning with a two-run single to center field. A wild pitch moments later enabled Wayton to score from third base.
Cydney Hess made it 4-0 in favor of the Wildcats with a run-scoring single to center field.
Puget Sound tied the game in the bottom of the second, getting a three-run homer from Hope Fleischman.
In the third, Ashlynn Aven lofted a sacrifice fly to center field, sending
Brynn Nelson sprinting for home from third base. Again the Loggers answered with a run of their own, this time on a RBI double off the bat of Aislinn O'Reilly to square the game at 4 runs apiece.
Linfield rung up five runs in the fourth to open up a commanding 10-4 advantage. The inning included RBIs from Nelson and Leyvas.
Wayton added to Linfield's run total with a RBI single in the sixth, giving the Wildcats a 10-4 cushion.
Nelson, Leyvas Saathoff and Hess all contributed two RBIs each.
Loggers starter O'Reilly took the loss to fall to 0-4. She gave up seven hits and four walks.
GAME 2: Linfield 10, Puget Sound 2
Claire Seats drilled a double to center field to drive in the game's first run and Nelson sacrificed Seats home with a fly to center field, putting Linfield on top 2-0 in the first inning.
The Wildcats added two more runs in the fourth as Leyvas delivered a RBI double and
Sophia vanderSommen added an RBI single to extend the Wildcats' lead to 4-0.
The sixth inning saw Hess smack her fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field.
A pair of two-run home runs by Leyvas and Seats put the finishing touches on the scoring, giving the Wildcats an insurmountable 10-2 lead.
McNeley (8-0) struck out a season-best 10 Loggers on the way to her fifth complete-game victory. The freshman righthander scattered six hits without yielding a walk.
UPS southpaw Nyomi Estrada was dealt the loss, evening her record at 3-3.
Seats accounted for three RBIs, including her seventh homer of the season. Leyvas went 2 for 4, scored twice and drive in three runs.
NEXT
The four-game NWC series continues Sunday with Games 3 and 4. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Logger Field.
