McMINNVILLE, Ore. – On a day when hits were at a premium, Linfield's senior trio of Meara Sain, Ashlyn Aven and Cydney Hess produced when the eighth-ranked Wildcats needed them most.
 
The threesome all contributed two key hits to help Linfield take both ends of a Northwest Conference doubleheader from the Willamette Bearcats Sunday at Del Smith Stadium. The Wildcats won the opener 2-0 behind the steady pitching of Tyler McNeley, then held off the Bearcats 3-1 in the nightcap with Sain and Aven driving in the key runs.
 
In completing the four-game series sweep of Willamette, Linfield improved to 10-2 and 6-2 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 6-12 overall and 3-5 in NWC play.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 2, Willamette 0
McNeley pitched her third shutout of the season and second of the weekend, holding the Bearcats to just a pair of hits.
 
Breanna Bartek, Sain, Hess and Lexiss Antle notched hits for the Wildcats.
 
Linfield scored single runs in the third inning on a RBI double by Sain before making the score 2-0 in the sixth with McKenna Parmelee's sacrifice RBI gave the Wildcats some breathing room.
 
McKenzee Peterson and Mia Atkins accounted for Willamette's two hits.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 3, Willamette 1
Wildcats freshman Destiny Cornwell teamed with McNeley to hold the Bearcats at bay and complete the four-game sweep.
 
Cornwell (3-0) limited Willamette to just a single run over five innings to earn the win, then turned the game over to McNeley, who pocketed her second save of the season by tossing two shutout innings in relief.
 
Sain and Hess each contributed doubles in the game. Annika Dayberry and Josie Brooks were credited with stolen bases for the Wildcats.
 
The Bearcats plated their first and only run of the four-game series in the fourth, getting a sacrifice fly from Maggie Fleischmann that scored Gretchen Clower to break a scoreless deadlock.
 
The Bearcats' lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the inning, Hess doubled to center field and Aven followed with a deep ball to center that bounced off the glove of the Bearcats fielder Maris Pinherio. Though it was scored as an error, it allowed a run to score, tying the game. McKenna Parmelee then singled, driving home Aven from second base, putting the Wildcats in front, 2-1.
 
Sain added an insurance run in the fifth, driving home pinch runner Brooklyn Sweatman.
 
Bearcats pitcher Maddy Tuning (0-1) took the loss. She struck out four Wildcats and walked one. Willamette outhit Linfield 7-6.
 
AHEAD
Linfield returns to Del Smith Stadium on Monday for a nonconference twinbill against West Coast adversary Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
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