McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield is headed to the NCAA Division III Super Regionals after defeating Redlands 7-2 on Saturday to capture the McMinnville Regional championship.
Cydney Hess and
Jacey Leyvas combined for five of Linfield's 10 hits while pitcher
Tayah Kelley limited the SCIAC co-champion Bulldogs to two runs.
Top-ranked Linfield, champion of the Northwest Conference, advanced to the Super Regionals for the second straight season and sixth time in the last 10 seasons. The Wildcats (46-1) will face Central College (32-11) in a best-of-three Super Regional series Thursday and Friday, May 23-24, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Division III Finals May 30-June 5 in Marshall, Texas. The site for the Super Regional series is expected to be finalized by the NCAA late Sunday.
With the loss, Redlands (33-14) saw its season come to an end at the hands of Linfield for a second consecutive year. The Bulldogs could at least take comfort in the knowledge that they are the only softball squad this season to defeat Linfield, scratching out a 4-2 win in Game 2 of the McMinnville Regional.
The Wildcats pounced on the Bulldogs right from the start as leadoff hitter
Kaili Saathoff drew a walk and was driven home by
Brynn Nelson's double to center field in the top of the first inning.
Ashlyn Aven made it 2-0 in the fourth inning, delivering a single to the outfield that scored pinch runner
Natalie Brinda.
Nursing a narrow 2-0 lead, the Wildcats notched four runs in the sixth inning to seize command. Leyvas got the scoring spree started with a solo home run – her fourth of the tournament and 11th of the season.
Tiani Wayton then laid down an RBI bunt single before Hess followed with a run-scoring single to left to send home pinch runner
Jenna Wong. The Wildcats led 6-0 at that point and appeared well on their way to victory.
Yet the Bulldogs refused to fold their tent, pushing across two runs in the sixth to pull within four runs. Redlands parked runners at first and second but Kelley got Jenay Scott to ground out into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
The 'Cats added an insurance run in the seventh on
Ashley Sutton's sacrifice bunt, scoring Leyvas from third base.
Kelley (28-1) collected with win, turning in her 22nd complete-game victory of the season. She logged 105 pitches, including five strikeouts, while allowing seven hits and one walk.
Hess went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs, Leyvas was 2 for 2 and was issued two walks, and Aven went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Redlands leadoff hitter Natalie Horton was 4 for 4 at the plate and scored one run.
Paige Ellinger, who pitched Redlands win over Linfield on Friday, was saddled with the loss to fall to 10-5 for the season.
MCMINNVILLE REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Jacey Leyvas, Linfield (Most Outstanding Player)
Tayah Kelley, Linfield
Kaili Saathoff, Linfield
Ashley Sutton, Linfield
Cydney Hess, Linfield
Sophia vanderSommen, Linfield
Jenay Scott, Redlands
Paige Messenlehner, Redlands
Paige Ellinger, Redlands
Natalie Horton, Redlands
