McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield baseball (2-0) carried the walk-off momentum from Friday's win into a dominant Saturday matinee, crushing Eastern Oregon (2-4), 14-4.Â
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Linfield's
Jack Williams escaped a first inning jam, stranding a runner in scoring position thanks to a strikeout looking. The Wildcats did the same in the home half, but in the second inning
Luke Porter smashed a home run to right field, taking a 1-0 lead through two.
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Williams once again escaped a jam, this time with the bases loading in the third, striking out the final batter of the inning. The 'Cats pounced at the plate,
Ely Kennel led off with a single through the infield, leading to a
Jaxson Kister RBI-double.
Rylan Gulard homered two pitches later, scoring Kister to extend the lead. It became 5-0 Linfield in the next inning when
Wyatt McClory doubled to score
Jackson Bui from second.Â
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Eastern Oregon put a number on the board in the fifth, getting to Williams with a pair of singles and a RBI-ground out to make it 5-1 through five.
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Williams' day on the bump ended after opening the sixth with two singles.
Jacob Bishop came in relief, allowing the two runners to score on a ground-out and sacrifice fly. The EOU momentum came to a halt in the home half though, Kennel homered to right, scoring Hubka and McClory. Kister walked and stole two bags, then scoring on a Gulard single, 9-3 'Cats.
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The bullpen held down the lead down the stretch, allowing just one run in the eighth. Linfield's bats stayed hot, tacking on five more runs in the bottom of the seventh, sending nine batters to the plate. Hubka and McClory doubled while Kennel had an RBI-single. With success on the basepaths throughout, the Wildcats final run scored on a two-out wild pitch.
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Zach Jaeger and
Andrew Miller pieced together the final two frames out of the bullpen, giving Linfield a 14-4 win and series win.
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Linfield's 14 runs came on 14 hits, led by yesterday's best hitter in
Jaxson Kister who went 3-4 with two runs batted in and a walk. Gulard, Hubka, Kennel and McClory all recorded at least two hits as well. Starter
Jack Williams got the win after seven hits over five innings, striking out for and allowing three runs. The 'pen held down the win over the final four, allowing just one run on two hits.
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The 'Cats go for the series sweep over Eastern Oregon tomorrow at noon at Roy Helser Field
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