TUCSON, Ariz. — Linfield opened up the Tucson Invitational Games at Kino Sports Complex on Friday afternoon with two nail-biting losses. The first game came later than expected due to rainy weather against Concordia-Wisconsin where the Wildcats dropped an 11-10 offensive shootout. The later game came against Gustavus Adolphus and went to extra innings before Linfield fell 7-6.
GAME 1: LINFIELD – 10, CONCORDIA-WISCONSIN - 11
Linfield got off to a slow start against the Falcons, trailing 8-0 after six innings, but mounted a furious comeback in the seventh inning. the Wildcats exploded for eight runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game.
Nick Holm delivered the big blow with a three-run home run, his first of the season, to cut the deficit to 8-3. Later in the inning,
Josh Mansur launched a three-run homer of his own before
Matthew Lewis added a two-run single to cap off the rally and tie the game at 8-8.
Holm led the Wildcats at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored. Mansur also had a strong performance, driving in three runs on a 1-for-5 day. Lewis contributed with two hits and three RBI, while
Wyatt McClory added a pinch-hit double in the seventh inning.
On the mound, Linfield's
Camden Oram pitched five innings, allowing seven runs on 10 hits while striking out five batters. The bullpen struggled to contain Concordia-Wisconsin's offense, as the Falcons scored three more runs over the final three innings.
Gavin Ludlow (1-1) took the loss for the Wildcats.
Concordia-Wisconsin was led by Alex Ames, who went 5-for-5 with six RBI, including the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth. The Falcons' offense was relentless, tallying 17 hits and capitalizing on five Linfield errors.
GAME 2: LINFIELD 6, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS 7
In a tightly contested extra-inning battle, the Wildcats were edged 7-6 by Gustavus Adolphus in the second game of the Tucson Invitational on Friday evening at Kino Sports Complex. The Wildcats fought back from an early deficit but ultimately fell in the 10th inning.
Linfield got off to a strong start, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning.
Elijah Maris and
Nick Holm both singled, and
Luke Porter drove them in with a two-run double to right field. However, Gustavus Adolphus responded immediately in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs, including a two-run homer by Danny Gavin and a triple by Luke Siegle that brought a runner in to take a 4-2 lead.
The Wildcats clawed their way back in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to regain the lead. Maris delivered a clutch two-run double, and Holm followed with an RBI double to put Linfield ahead 5-4. Gustavus Adolphus tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double by Gavin, setting the stage for a tense finish.
With emotions running high, the game remained deadlocked at 5-5 until the 10th inning. In the top of the 10th, Linfield took a 6-5 lead when
Josh Mansur singled home
Matthew Lewis, who had doubled earlier in the inning. However, Gustavus Adolphus rallied in the bottom of the frame, scoring two runs on a double by Siegle and a walk-off single by Dylan Kopesky to secure the victory.
Maris led the Wildcats offensively, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Holm also had a strong game, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Lewis added a double and scored a run. On the mound,
Matthew Tacheny provided solid relief, allowing just one run over 4.1 innings, while
Zack Hampson pitched 3.1 scoreless innings before the Wildcats turned to
Gavin Ludlow (0-1) in the 10th, who took the loss.
Gustavus Adolphus remained undefeated, with Gavin leading the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Reliever Sam Baker (1-0) earned the win after closing the game out in the 10
th inning.
NEXT
Linfield continues competition in the Tucson Invitational Games Saturday with matchups against Carthage and Caltech starting at 11:30 a.m. with the final game opening at 3 p.m.
