McMinnville, Ore. --- Two gems on the mound by Linfield baseball (20-12, 12-5 NWC) paired well with 22 total runs by the offense to give the Wildcats the doubleheader sweep over the Whitman Blues (10-21-1, 5-12 NWC) on Saturday.
 
GAME ONE
Neither team could break free in the first three innings, scattering a combined three singles off of Linfield starter Matthew Tacheny and the Blues Russell Petersen.
 
Designated hitter Wyatt Hurley broke open the scoring with a two-out three-run shot over the left field fence, 3-0 Linfield through four.
 
Two early strikeouts in the home fifth didn't slow the Wildcats, scoring four more runs with the two-out rally. Wyatt McClory drove in on with a single before catcher Cole Snidow sent one over the fence to add a pair. Jaxson Kister scored on a wild pitcher following head coach Jordan Harlow's appeal with the umpires; 7-0 Wildcats.
 
Free bases helped the lead extend past double-digits in the sixth, scoring two one wild pitches and another two on a McClory double to left, making it a comfortable 11-0 lead.
 
Whitman got on the board in the eighth, ending Tacheny's excellent outing on the mound, scoring two on a single up the middle to make it 11-2. In the bottom of the eighth, Keegan Weston brough in two one a double to deep left, followed by two more runs on a Kister double to right centerfield. Cole Hubka brought in the 'Cats 16^th and final run on a single to center. 
 
Josh Mansur's first appearance on the mound ended the game with a clean ninth inning, going 1-2-3. Linfield took the opening game of the series, 16-2. 
 
Scoring the most runs since last season's series opener at Whitman (29), the 'Cats scored 16 runs on 13 hits, stranding just six runners in the offensive explosion. Kister went 3-5 at the dish with a pair of runs batted in, as both Wyatt's (Hurley and McClory) drove in three each. 
 
Tacheny earned his second win of the season after 7.1 strong innings on the bump, allowing just two runs on four hits, striking out two and walking two. Mannion and Mansur shut down the final 1.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, sitting down three.
 
GAME TWO
Linfield struck first again in game two, thanks to a Hurley double and Kister single leading off the second inning. Nick Holm drove in one with a single, and catcher Caiden Gould brought home another with a groundout. Cole Hubka singled to center, scoring Holm to make it 3-0 'Cats early.
 
Starter Colton Ouellette allowed his first hit to open the third, the only hit the Wildcat pitcher allowed in his solid outing. He faced the minimum in four of his seven innings pitched.
 
In the fifth, Kennel reached on a single to left, stealing second before advancing to third and later scoring on a passed ball to make it 4-0.
 
Rylan Gullard drove in two runners with a one-out single that followed a sacrifice bunt by Kennel, extending the lead to six.
 
The bullpen remained steady, giving up Whitman's second and final hit of the ball game with two outs in the ninth, cruising to a 6-0 victory, locking up the 'Cats series win. It marks Linfield's fifth series win of conference play.
 
Seven of the nine starters recorded at least one hit in the game, led by Gullard who went 2-4 in the game with a pair of runs batted in. Linfield struck out eight times, stranding aa total of five runners on base. Starter Colton Ouellette (2-3) saw the best outing of his young career, allowing just one hit over seven innings, walking two and sitting down eight batters in just 85 pitches. 
 
Neither Carter Studer or Zack Hampson factored into pitching decisions, but did hold the shutout over the final two frames, allowing one hit combined.
 
UP NEXT
The 'Cats look for their third NWC series sweep of the season tomorrow afternoon at Roy Helser Field at Noon.
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