SPOKANE, Wash. –
Meara Sain went a combined 5 for 8 at the plate and drove in five runs to lead No. 3 Linfield to a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep of Whitworth Saturday at Diana Marks Field.
Not counting the abbreviated CoVID season of 2020, the Wildcats (20-2, 8-2 NWC) secured the program's 30th consecutive season of at least 20 wins.
Tyler McNeley and
Destiny Cornwell earned pitching wins for the Wildcats, who outhit the Pirates 24-9 and outscored them 19-2.
GAME 1: Linfield 8, Whitworth 2
Sain laced two doubles and drove home three runs to power the Wildcats to an comfortable win in the opener.
McKenna Parmelee went 2 for 3 with a double while
Kaia Young added a single and a home run, all part of an 11-hit effort by Linfield.
Though McNeley (12-1) gave up eight hits to the Pirates, she allowed just two runs, only one of them earned. McNeley went on to strike out nine batters in the contest while conceding just one walk.
Linfield built a lead of 6-1 after 3½ innings and cruised to the victory from there.
GAME 2: Linfield 11, Whitworth 0, 6 innings
Cornwell pitched a one-hit shutout to collect her eighth win of the season, facing 20 batters in the run-rule shortened game.
Sain went off for three more doubles in the nightcap, finishing the game 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Ashlyn Aven smacked her Division III-leading 10th home run of the season while Parmelee added her second homer of the day and sixth of the season to fuel a 13-hit Linfield assault.
Breanna Bartek went 2 for 4 with a pair of runs scored, and
Cydney Hess tripled, drove home two runs, and scored twice for the 'Cats.
AHEAD
The Wildcats and Pirates square off again Sunday morning at 11 for two more games to complete the four-game NWC series.
