LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Linfield wrapped up its three-game series against Occidental on Saturday with a doubleheader at Anderson Field. Linfield won the first game 16-3, securing the series win before dropping the second 5-0, a game that ended after nearly six innings due to a travel curfew for the Wildcats.
GAME 1: Linfield 16, Occidental 3
A barrage of offense lifted Linfield to a dominant 16-3 win over Occidental in the opening game. 16 runs marks the second-best offensive output of the season for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats pounded out 18 hits and scored in six out of nine innings.
Elijah Maris led the way from the leadoff spot, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Jackson Bui launched a three-run home run in the fourth inning, and
Luke Porter followed with a three-run blast of his own in the fifth.
Wyatt Hurley was nearly perfect at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Trent Wainfeld drove in three on a perfect 3-for-3 day, scoring two of his own runs.
Caiden Gould also contributed two RBI and a hit-by-pitch, while
Josh Mansur doubled and scored twice.
Linfield opened the game with a first-inning RBI from Wainfeld and added three more in the second. The Wildcats never let up, adding four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to blow the game wide open.
Starting pitcher
Jake Swenson struck out six across four innings, allowing three earned runs to earn the win. Relievers
Brian Mannion,
Camden Oram and
Steve Kovac combined for three shutout innings, allowing no hits and striking out two.
Defensively, Linfield was sharp, committing no errors. Occidental committed two defensive miscues and allowed seven walks. The Tigers mustered just five hits, two of them coming from Anthony Sereno, who also drove in two runs.
The win was Linfield's fifth straight and showcased the Wildcats' ability to dominate a game when the offense is rolling.
GAME 2: Occidental 5, Linfield 0
Despite collecting seven hits, Linfield couldn't break through offensively in a 5-0 loss to Occidental in game two of Saturday's twin bill.
Tigers starter Ryan Holcomb stifled the Wildcats across six shutout innings, scattering seven hits without issuing a walk. He induced two key double plays and stranded six Linfield runners, all of which were in scoring position.
Linfield starter
Zach Johnson suffered his first loss of the season, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings. Occidental jumped on him early, plating a run in the first before erupting for three in the second, including a two-RBI single by Nicholas Gonzalez. Johnson exited in the fourth after allowing a run-scoring double to Thomas Munch.
Zack Hampson entered in relief and kept the Wildcats within striking distance with 1.2 scoreless innings.
Offensively,
Josh Mansur stayed hot, going 2-for-3 and stealing a base.
Wyatt Hurley also went 2-for-2 with a double, while
Tyler Marr added a pinch-hit double in the fifth.
Matthew Lewis and
Elijah Maris each singled to lead off the game, but Linfield came up empty after a double play.
Defensively, Linfield again avoided errors and turned in several clean innings, but the early deficit proved too steep. Occidental capitalized on timely hitting and aggressive baserunning, including two stolen bases and a pair of sacrifice bunts.
The loss marked Linfield's first shutout defeat since March 2.
NEXT
The Wildcats return to McMinnville for a matchup against Bushnell at Roy Helser Field on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
