McMINNVILLE, Ore. –
Cydney Hess threaded an extra-innings RBI to lift the undefeated and No. 1-ranked Linfield Wildcats to a tense 6-5 victory over the upset-minded Willamette Bearcats Friday night in the opening round of the Northwest Conference Tournament at Del Smith Stadium.
Linfield (41-0) advances in the four-team, double-elimination tournament to face Lewis & Clark (27-14) Saturday at noon. L&C defeated Pacific Lutheran 8-3 in Friday's late game.
Willamette (17-22) drops into an elimination game versus PLU (23-18) at 2:30 p.m.
Linfield freshman
Tyler McNeley came in to pitch in the fifth inning in relief of Wildcats All-American
Tayah Kelley. McNeley (17-0) held the Bearcats to just two hits over the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing time for the Linfield batters to find their groove.
Claire Seats drove in three runs and blasted her 13th home run of the season to carry the 'Cats offensively.
Kaili Saathoff finished with three hits in four trips to the plate, scoring twice.
Linfield drew first blood in the first inning as Saathoff dropped down a leadoff bunt single and Seats followed with a two-run homer over the left-field wall. For Seats, it marked the 25th homer of her career.
The Bearcats parked two runners in scoring position with one out in the third, but Kelley got Faith Collar to ground out into the glove of
Jacey Leyvas, then struck out Emma Elliott to retire the side.
Willamette turned the tide, putting up three runs in the fifth inning to take momentary control. Lauren Stube drew a walk, Mia Lund drilled a double and Sophia Lucio ripped a two-run triple to tie the game at 2. Collar then put Willamette in front 3-2 with a sacrifice to right field.
Hess tied the game once more with an RBI double to left-center, and Seats put Linfield in front 4-3 with an RBI single down the left-field line.
In the Bearcats' sixth, the Lund drilled a single to left field, driving home Karsen Angel and Desirae Hatfield for a 5-4 Willamette advantage. At that point, Wildcats coach
Jackson Vaughan called upon McNeley to take over for Kelley in the circle.
Linfield tied it up again in the bottom of the sixth on Saathoff's line drive up the middle, scoring
Tiani Wayton from second base.
Willamette pushed runners to second and third bases with one out in the eighth, before McNeley got Angel to ground out and Lund to fly out to vanderSommen in right field, preventing the Bearcats from notching the go-ahead run.
Bearcats starter Jordyn Johnson took the loss to fall to 5-10. She struck out four Wildcats but issued six walks, including four free passes to Linfield's top hitter,
Brynn Nelson.
Linfield ace
Tayah Kelley struck out seven Bearcats but gave up seven hits and five earned runs before being replaced by McNeley.
Willamette outhit Linfield 9-8 but the Bearcats committed three errors while the Wildcats played flawless defensively.
Lucio went 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs to lead Willamette at the plate. Lund was 3 for 3 and drove in two runs.
LATE FRIDAY: Lewis & Clark 8, Pacific Lutheran 3
Sam Gildersleeve and Harper Campanella each drove in two runs and Charlize Pope struck out four batters and limited the Lutes to a single inconsequential run over the final three frames to secure the win for the Pioneers.
Rylie Wada had two hits and drove in a run for PLU. Lutes starter Rachael Rhinehart (9-9) took the loss. She struck out three and walked four in three innings of work.
