McMINNVILLE, Ore. –
Tyler McNeley pitched a six-hit shutout to carry the Linfield Wildcats to a 2-0 win over Illinois Wesleyan in Game 1 of the NCAA Division III McMinnville Oregon Super Regional at Del Smith Stadium.
Linfield All-American
Claire Seats delivered an RBI double in the first inning, giving all the scoring it would need to knock off the Titans in the best-of-three series. Game 2 is set for 2 p.m. Friday with a third game, if necessary, to follow at 4:30 p.m.
Linfield (42-5) stands within one victory of advancing to the NCAA Finals for a third straight season and ninth time in program history.
The Wildcats, ranked sixth in the most recent NFCA Top 25 poll, snapped the Titans' 25-game win streak, handing 20th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan (37-8) its first defeat since April 5.
After Seats gave Linfield a 1-0 advantage in the first, the Wildcats padded their lead in the third.
Meara Sain and
Kaili Saathoff each singled to lead off the inning, and IWU pitching ace Mallory Holland intentionally walked Seats to load the bases.
Jacey Leyvas then reached base on a fielder's choice, forcing Sain to home plate for a 2-0 Wildcats cushion.
In the top of the seventh inning, Bella Pinter and Ella Hermes both tapped singles to center field, bringing the potential winning run to the plate. But McNeley was able to get Claire Post to pop out into the glove of
Cydney Hess before Julia Wilkins grounded out to Hess, ending the game.
Hermens went 2 for 3 to lead the Titans' six-hit effort.
Holland suffered the loss to fall to 8-2 for the season. She gave up four hits and two walks while striking out two Wildcats over 3 2/3 innings. Caroline Gatchell held Linfield without a hit over the final 2 1/3 innings.
McNeley (29-2) recorded her 11th shutout of the season, striking out five batters and not yielding a single walk.
Sain led Linfield at the plate with two of the Wildcats' four hits.
