SALEM, Ore. – The Linfield softball locomotive continued its dominating run through the Northwest Conference on Sunday. The unbeaten and second-ranked Wildcats blanked Willamette 9-0 and 11-0 in a pair of one-sided contests at the WU Softball Field. Both were shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule.
 
Already assured of its third straight NWC championship, Linfield (38-0, 26-0 NWC) will host the NWC Tournament starting Friday at Del Smith Stadium.
 
Needing a win over Linfield to remain in contention for the fourth and final postseason berth, Willamette (17-19, 13-13 NWC) failed to generate a run against Wildcat pitching aces Tayah Kelley and Tyler McNeley. The Bearcats will have two more chances to knock off the Wildcats when the teams meet Tuesday at Del Smith Stadium for a makeup doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 9, Willamette 0, 5 innings
Kelley fanned eight Bearcats and walked a pair on the way to her 23rd pitching victory of the season. The senior from Myrtle Creek, Oregon, gave up five hits but did not yield a single Willamette run on the way to her seventh shutout of 2024.
 
At the plate, Jacey Leyvas went 3 for 3 and scored twice, and Cydney Hess had two hits, including a home run in the second inning to pace the Wildcats offensively.
 
Brynn Nelson drilled a double to drive home the game's first run in the top of the first inning, then Leyvas added an RBI single for a quick 2-0 Wildcats advantage. Before the Bearcats could record the first three outs, the Wildcats picked up two more runs when Sophia vanderSommen reached base on an error, enabling Nelson and pinch runner Natalie Brinda to score.
 
Hess smacked her eighth homer of the season over the center field wall in the second inning to make the score 5-0.
 
Bearcats starter Jordyn Johnson (5-9) took the loss. Lasting just 2 2/3 innings, Johnson allowed six hits, seven runs and three walks. Faith Collar went 2 for 3 for the Bearcats.
 
The third inning saw vanderSommen and Hailey Wadsworth each contribute RBIs. Then in the fifth, Ashley Sutton and Kaili Saathoff both delivered run-scoring singles to put the game out of reach.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 11, Willamette 0, 5 innings
Linfield continued its torrid hitting in the nightcap, lofting two doubles and three home runs to complete the doubleheader sweep.
 
Nelson smacked a pair roundtrippers on successive at-bats, finishing the game with four RBIs.
 
McNeley earned the win in the circle for Linfield, improving to 15-0. The freshman righthander hamstrung Willamette hitters to just three hits and no walks while logging three strikeouts.
 
Linfield got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning. Ashley Sutton sent a sacrifice fly to left field, buying time pinch runner Annika Dayberry to score, giving the 'Cats an early 1-0 lead.
 
Hess and Claire Seats roped back-to-back doubles, then Nelson launched her 10th home run of the season, clearing the bases to put Linfield in front 4-0. Three batters later, vanderSommen belted a homer over the left-field fence. Her second homer of the year – a two-run shot – made it 6-0.
 
Seats drove in Saathoff in the fourth, then Nelson delivered her second homer of the day, plating three more runs for a 9-0 Linfield lead. In the bottom of the frame, the Bearcats put two runners on base, but Lauren Stube lined out into the glove of Saathoff at first base for the third out.
 
Tiani Wayton and Saathoff then ripped off back-to-back doubles, pushing two more runs across home plate.
 
Seats went 3 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
Kenna Davis was tagged with the loss. The Wildcats jumped on the WU starter for three runs before heading to the bench.
 
NEXT
The Wildcats and Bearcats are expected to wrap up their four-game series with a pair of makeup games Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.