REDLANDS, Calif. – Cydney Hess blasted two home runs, and Tyler McNeley and Destiny Cornwell pitched a pair of matching victories for the Linfield Wildcats, who knocked off the nationally ranked Redlands Bulldogs in a long-awaited rematch Friday afternoon of West Coast softball powers.
 
Wildcats coach Jackson Vaughan introduced seven new starters into the lineup, but the fresh batting order appeared reminiscent of last season's offensive juggernaut. The third-ranked Wildcats (2-0) toppled fourth-rated Redlands (3-3) twice at Redlands' Field of Dreams, 6-0 and 6-4.
 
The two teams squared off most recently last June at last season's NCAA Championship Finals where the Wildcats prevailed 9-1. Including regular season and playoff contests, Linfield has now defeated Redlands in 11 of the last 13 meetings.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 6, Redlands 0
McNeley struck out six Bulldogs and scattered eight hits to mark her 2026 season debut. The Linfield offense backed up the junior righthander with 10 hits.
 
The Wildcats bolted to a 4-0 advantage in the opening frame. Lexiss Antle, Keira Sullivan, McKenna Parmalee and Ashlyn Aven each took turns driving in runs off Bulldogs starting pitcher Katlyn Gandara.
 
Redlands' best chance to score came in the second inning when the 'Dogs positioned runners at second and third base but McNeley was able to coax Leila Gomez to ground out into the glove of Antle at second base to retire the side.
 
The score remained 4-0 in favor of the 'Cats until the top of the seventh inning. That's when Hess pounded a two-run home run over the center-field fence, sending Gandara to the dugout in favor of reliever Brianna Garcia.
 
Breanna Bartek and Meara Sain each went 3 for 4 and both scored a run to pace the top of the Linfield order.
 
Gandara (2-1) struck out three batters and allowed no walks. The Bulldogs stranded seven runners. Natalie Lowthers went 2 for 3 to lead Redlands offensively.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 6, Redlands 4
In similar fashion to the opening contest, Linfield staked a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed. Aven, the cleanup hitter, broke the ice with a two-run homer over the outfield fence before Hess launched a sacrifice fly to left field that enabled Bartek to score from third base.  
 
Leading 3-0 in the top of the fifth, Hess drilled a two-strike, two-out pitch beyond the left-field fence, putting the Wildcats in front 6-0.
 
Redlands made the game interesting in the sixth. Gandara laced a sacrifice fly down the left-field line that was snagged by Bartek, allowing Maya Holesoe enough time to reach home plate. Jackson followed with an RBI single to center that scored Bard and Scott then stepped to the plate and pounded an RBI triple to right to score Jackson, and Lowthers added a RBI double that plated Scott, cutting the Bulldogs' deficit to 6-4.  
 
McNeley relieved Cornwell to begin the seventh and the the Wildcats' ace dispatched the Bulldogs with a 1-2-3 inning to close out the game.
 
Cornwell earned her first collegiate pitching victory, throwing 83 pitches, including 58 for strikes. She surrendered five hits and four runs, none of which were earned. McNeley pocketed her sixth career save.
 
Hess finished with four RBIs and Aven drove in two runs to carry the 'Cats at the plate.
 
Scott went 2 for 3 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base for Redlands.
 
NEXT
The Wildcats head west across the Los Angeles basin on Saturday for a doubleheader at Pomona-Pitzer. First pitch is set for noon at Wig Beach Field.
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