COLUMBUS, Ga. – Second-ranked Linfield went toe-to-toe with No. 7 Case Western Reserve before falling 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Wildcats (3-1) rebounded immediately afterward with an emphatic 10-2 thumping of No. 6 Tufts in a game shortened to five innings by the eight-run rule.
GAME 1: Case Western 2, Linfield 1
Tyler McNeley of Linfield and Lexi Miskey of Case Western Reserve waged a pitchers' duel for five innings before a series of miscues enabled the Wildcats to take a 1-0 advantage.
Tiani Wayton was hit by a pitch, then scooted to third base on a base hit by
Meara Sain. A subsequent fielding error on the throw from the outfield bought Wayton enough time to score and for Sain to reach third base.
Kaili Saathoff drew a walk and stole second base to place two runners in scoring position. But CWRU starter Lexi Miskey was able to coax flyouts from
Claire Seats and
Brynn Nelson to bring the inning to a close and keep the game a one-run affair.
Ultimately, the game was decided on a base hit to left field by Karen Potts in the bottom of the seventh inning, allowing Kate Coonan to score from third base.
McNeley (1-1) was saddled with her first collegiate pitching defeat after a 19-0 start to her career. The sophomore righthander struck out 11 batters but conceded one walk and six hits, including two in the seventh that proved to be the difference.
Offensively,
Claire Seats and
Cydney Hess accounted for Linfield's only two base hits in the game.
GAME 2: Linfield 10, Tufts 2, 5 innings
Seats hit her second home run in as many days, Sain and
Ashlyn Aven each tapped doubles, and the Wildcats finished with a dozen hits in the whitewash of the nationally ranked Jumbos.
Lacey Vasas threw 67 pitches, allowing six hits and two walks to earn her first collegiate win.
Eight Wildcats recorded at least one base hit in the contest.
NEXT
Linfield faces two more opponents on Sunday to wrap up its three-day run at the Leadoff Classic. The 'Cats open the day against Denison (Ohio) at 10:30 a.m. before taking on St. John Fisher (N.Y.) at 12:30.