LA VERNE, Calif. – Tyler McNeley pitched Linfield to a pair of nonconference wins Sunday over the La Verne Leopards at Campus West Field, including a wild nightcap that saw the seventh-ranked Wildcats rally from a late-inning three-run deficit to post their largest margin of victory this season.
 
Linfield soundly defeated La Verne 9-2 before closing out its four-game trip to California in impressive fashion with an 18-6 triumph in Game 2.
 
The Wildcats moved to 18-2 for the season while extending their current win streak to 12 games. The Leopards slipped to 9-12.
 
GAME 1: Linfield 9, La Verne 2
Ashlyn Aven went 4 for 5 with two home runs and drove in six of the Wildcats' nine runs to lead the 'Cats in the opener.
 
As a team, Linfield had its way on the basepaths. The Wildcats successfully stole 10 bases in the contest, one short equaling of the single-game program record. Breanna Bartek, Meara Sain and Cydney Hess all recorded two base thefts each.
 
Aven put the Wildcats on the scoreboard in the third inning with a three-run blast over the right-field wall. She then added to Linfield's run total in the fourth, drilling an RBI single to right field. Two hit batters and a bases-loaded walk produced another Linfield run. Kya Lindell followed with a single to drive home Lexiss Antle, pushing the Wildcats' advantage to 6-0.
 
The Leopards answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Brooke Petretti singled and eventually scored on a fielding error for ULV's first run and Angelina Ratzlaff drove Petretti home with a single minutes later.
 
Linfield stretched its lead to 7-2 in the fifth when Sain scored a successful squeeze bunt by McKenna Parmelee.
 
Aven put the game out of reach with her second homer of the day, this time a two-run rocket over the left-field fence in the seventh.
 
McNeley scattered six hits on the way to earning her 10th win of the season against just one loss. She struck out six Leopards and walked two.
 
GAME 2: Linfield 18, La Verne 6
Scoring 16 runs over the final three frames, Linfield rallied from deficits 5-2 and 6-5 in the middle innings to walk away with their most lopsided victory of the season.
 
Eight of nine starters produced hits, including three by both Bartek and Aven. The Wildcats again ran wild on the bases, with Bartek swiping two bags to lead the way.
 
Sain and Hess knocked in three runs while Lindell and Young added two each.
 
Trailing the Leopards by three runs to begin the fifth inning, the Wildcats began to reassert control. Emily Foytack got things going with a solo home run to left field, her second of the week. Singles by Lindell and Bartek set the table for Sain's two-run single, knotting the score at 5.
 
The sixth inning saw Linfield pull even on Sain's two-run double, scoring Lindell and Bartek. La Verne would take a momentary 6-5 lead when Ratzlaff reached base on a fielding error, enabling Kylee Knight to score an unearned run.
 
Down to their final six outs, the 'Cats plated five runs in the sixth inning to move in front 10-6. The scoring spree included a two-run single by Lindell, a bases-loaded walk from Hess, and a two-run double courtesy of Aven.
 
In the seventh, the Wildcats erupted for eight runs to put the game on ice. Antle doubled to left field to lead off the inning before Young drilled a home run to right field, giving Linfield 12-6 advantage. A bases-loaded walk a two-run double by Hess, and a passed ball that scored another run all followed, stretching the score to 16-6. Aven added her third double of the game to push home yet another run. Brooklyn Sweatman reached base on a fielder's choice, allowing Aven to score the Wildcats' 17th run of the game.
 
McNeley, who came on in relief of Wildcats starter Destiny Cornwell to begin the fifth, was credited with the win in the circle. She improved to 11-1 with her second victory of the day, logging three strikeouts in three inning's work while yielding just a single run.
 
Linfield finished with 18 hits and also drew six walks. La Verne starter Alyssa Gar (1-3) recorded just one strikeout in 5 1/3 innings of action before turning the game over to relievers Angelina Gar and Briana Vasqu.
 
AHEAD
Linfield returns to Oregon to enjoy a week without classes thanks to Spring Break before trekking to Spokane, Washington, Saturday and Sunday for a four-game NWC series with the Whitworth Pirates. Action begins Saturday at noon at Sherman-Larkins Stadium. Games on Sunday start promptly at 11 a.m. Read Full Article