McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield Wildcats opened their 2025 season with a split double header against Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound at Roy Helser Field. The day featured two nail biting victories for Linfield. The first of which came against the Lutes with a score of 7-6 while the second came in extra innings against Puget Sound thanks to some home run heroics at the hands of Linfield's
Luke Porter.
GAME 1: LINFIELD 7 - PACIFIC LUTHERAN 6
Linfield jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Elijah Maris singled and later scored on
Trent Wainfeld's two-RBI double that also brought home
Nick Holm. The Wildcats continued the offensive surge in the second, capitalizing on a Pacific Lutheran defensive error before Klingelhoffer blasted a three-run home run over the left-field fence, putting Linfield ahead 6-0.
Pacific Lutheran responded in the third inning when Ethan Keintz launched a three-run homer to cut Linfield's lead in half. The Lutes kept the pressure on with two more runs in the fourth and added another in the fifth, tying the game at six apiece.
Camden Oram came out of the bullpen in relief of starter
Jake Swenson, settling the game by tossing 3.2 innings and allowing just one run while striking out four.
Gavin Ludlow secured his first save of the season, pitching the final 1.1 innings without allowing a baserunner, but striking out two Lutes.
The decisive run came in the sixth inning when Wainfeld delivered his third hit of the afternoon, scoring
Matthew Lewis from second base. Wainfeld finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, while Lewis and Maris each added two hits for the Wildcats.
Pacific Lutheran's offense was led by Brody Phinney, who tallied three hits, and Keintz, who drove in four runs. Chris Moreno was charged with the loss after giving up the go-ahead run in his 4.2 innings of relief.
GAME 2: LINFIELD 4 – PUGET SOUND 3
Linfield showcased resilience after trailing multiple times throughout the game. Puget Sound opened the scoring in the first inning when Drew Kamihara singled and later scored on an error. Linfield responded in the third with
Nick Holm's RBI single that plated
Caiden Gould, tying the game at 1-1.
After six scoreless innings, Puget Sound took a 2-1 lead in the seventh following a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. However,
Hunter Klingelhoffer continued his red-hot day at the plate, launching a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to give Linfield a 3-2 advantage. The Lutes rallied again in the ninth as Kellen Krebs doubled and scored on Kamihara's sacrifice fly, knotting the game at 3-3.
The extra innings saw both teams trading opportunities, but it was
Luke Porter who provided the heroics. At the first pitch of the bottom of the 11th inning, Porter blasted a solo home run over the left-field fence, sealing the walk-off victory for the Wildcats.
Zack Hampson earned the win after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and striking out one. Puget Sound's Braden Blackwell took the loss, giving up Porter's game-winning homer.
Klingelhoffer finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Porter went 2-for-3 with the decisive blast. Linfield out-hit Puget Sound 10-6 and overcame two defensive errors to secure the sweep.
ON DECK
Linfield continues its opening weekend tournament with a game against Whitman tomorrow at Roy Helser field at 2 p.m.
