Tacoma, Wash. --- Linfield softball (30-4, 18-4 NWC) dropped the opening game of the series with the Pacific Lutheran Lutes (26-9, 18-5 NWC), 1-0, bouncing back with an 11-run third inning to take game two, 15-13.
 
GAME ONE
Starting pitcher Tyler McNeley sat down each of the first three Lutes at the plate to begin the game, not allowing a hit for three and one-third innings in the game. McNeley did allow a slew of walks early on, allowing three free bases in the second inning but kept the shutout.
 
Breanna Bartek found the 'Cats first base knock in the third, later stealing second to put two runners in scoring position, unable to score in the inning.
 
Two of the best pitchers in the Northwest Conference settled un through the first five innings, still knotted at 0-0. Kya Lindell ripped a two-out single to left, followed by a Meara Sain double to apply pressure in the top of the sixth. The two-out rally came up short with a flyout to right.
 
Pacific Lutheran broke the scoreless tie in the home sixth, executing a sacrifice fly to lead 1-0. 
 
Cydney Hess and McKenna Parmelee led off the seventh with a pair of singles, stranded after pinch runner Brooklyn Sweatman collided with the Lutes shortstop, ending the series opener with the runners interference. 
 
The 'Cats tallied just five hits off of the Lutes starter, striking out 13 times, the first time they've struck out 10+ times since the 2021 season. Sain's double was the lone extra-base hit in the game. McNeley (15-2) went all six innings inside the circle, allowing just one run on two hits, walking five and striking out eight. 
 
GAME TWO
Aven got the scoring started early on in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, ripping a two-out solo home run to left center to put the 'Cats up 1-0. The Lutes got to Linfield starter Destiny Cornwell in the home half, putting up six runs on four hits, largely in part to two fielding errors by Linfield.
 
The PLU lead grew to 8-1in the second before the Wildcat bats scored 11 runs in the third to take a 12-8 lead. Two runners walked with the bases loaded, Aven, McKenna Parmelee, and Lexiss Antle each singled home a run before the second out was recorded in the inning. Breanna Bartek and Sain drove in two more before Aven capped off the huge inning with a three-run double.
 
Now onto the Lutes second relief pitcher, Sophie Pappas hit a two-run homer to right to make it 14-8 'Cats. Pacific Lutheran drew closer with a pair of runs in the fourth, meanwhile Aven doubled for her third extra-base hit of the game, making it 15-10.
 
The scoring concluded in the sixth as PLU plated a pair with one out in the inning, the only blemish to McNeley's appearance out of the bullpen that earned her the win. 
 
Linfield's 15 runs came on 11 hits, working six walks and stranding just three runners. Aven's 4-5 showing in game two earned six runs batted in, followed closely by Sain's 3-4 game with a pair of RBIs. For Pappas, her first home run of her collegiate career and for Aven, her Division III-leading 16^th of the season. 
 
McNeley earned the win in game two, going 1-1 on the day and now 15-3 this season on the mound. Following up on Cornwell's three and one-third start, McNeley closed out the final 3.2 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out seven batters. 
 
UP NEXT
CatBall ends the series with the Lutes in a doubleheader tomorrow, set to begin at 11 a.m. in Tacoma, Washington.
 
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