THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – A combined 23 hits and 18 runs propelled the second-ranked Linfield Wildcats to a dominating sweep of the California Lutheran Royals in non-conference softball action Friday afternoon at Hutton Field.
With the sweep, Linfield extended its current winning streak to 10 games, knocking off Cal Lu 9-6 in the opener and 9-0 in an abbreviated five-inning nightcap.
Six Wildcats recorded three hits on the day.
Jacey Leyvas led the way with two home runs and four RBIs.
Meara Sain added four runs scored and three RBIs.
GAME 1: Linfield 9, Cal Lutheran 6
Tyler McNeley threw 106 pitches on the way to her seventh complete-game victory of the season. The sophomore righthander gave up nine hits but surrendered no walks in Friday's high-scoring opener, and Linfield's hitters provided ample offense with 14 hits to hold the Royals at bay.
With the win, McNeley improved to 8-1 in the circle, striking out five to raise her season total to 60.
Cydney Hess went 3 for 4 at the plate and drove in a pair of runs, while Sain,
Kaili Saathoff,
Brynn Nelson and
Ashlyn Aven all contributed two hits each.
Linfield opened up a 5-0 advantage in the top of the fourth inning only to watch as CLU plated four runs in the bottom of the frame to pull to within one run. Three more Wildcat runs followed in the sixth and the Royals never answered after that.
Regals starter Ashlyn Flinchum absorbed the loss to fall to 4-2 for the season. She struck out six Wildcats and walked four. Linfield laced six doubles on the day, including two by Aven.
GAME 2: Linfield 9, Cal Lutheran 0, 5 innings
Leyvas hammered two of Linfield's five home runs in the game on consecutive plate appearances to spark the Wildcats to the decisive victory.
The 'Cats wasted no time in bolting to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap's opening minutes.
Claire Seats and Aven took turns smacking first-inning home runs off the pitches of junior righthander Ally Forbell. The second inning featured more of the same with Leyvas and Sain both launching their second home runs of the season over the center field wall, stretching Linfield's margin to 6-0.
In the third inning, Leyvas returned to the plate to deliver another home run, this one a two-run shot to left field that pushed the score to 8-0. The Wildcats went on to record an unearned run in the fourth inning to complete the scoring.
Tyler Warden (3-0) registered her second shutout of the season. The fifth-year graduate student gave up five hits and no walks in five innings of work.
Forbell (3-3) allowed six hits, including three home runs in less than two innings of action before being replaced by reliever Ava Tepesano.
NEXT
The Wildcats head to La Verne on Saturday where they will take on the Leopards (11-8) in a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.
