McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield baseball (20-13, 12-6 NWC) fell short in the series finale to the Whitman Blues (11-21-1, 6-12 NWC), 6-5, nonetheless winning their fifth Northwest Conference series of the season.
 
Wildcat starter Casey Struckmeier got the starting nod on the mound in the series finale, suffering a leadoff single to begin the game, but navigated out of the jam. The senior then got out of another jam an inning later, thanks to left fielder Jaxson Kister throwing out the runner at the plate trying to score from second, ending the inning still scoreless.
 
Kister got it done at the plate immediately after gunning down the go-ahead runner, leading off the home second with a single and stole second base. First baseman Nick Holm slapped a double down the rightfield line, putting Linfield up 1-0.
 
The Blues offense matched yesterday's run total, putting up two with two outs in the third, taking their first lead of the series at 2-1 after consecutive doubles.
 
Holm ripped a solo home run just inside the left field foul pole with one out in the fourth to tie the game up at 2-2. 
 
Luke Schoeffler replaced Struckmeier on the mound in the following inning, allowing three singles in his first two innings, but maintained the tie game. Designated hitter Wyatt Hurley led off the sixth with a solo homer of his own to regain the lead, 3-2. Cole Hubka ripped the 'Cats second homer of the inning, scoring two more to extend the lead to 5-2.
 
Schoeffler allowed back-to-back singles to open the seventh, ending his outing on the mound, replaced by Zach Jaeger. Jaeger faced two hitters who each singled, forcing Harlow to go to left hander Jacob Bishop out of the bullpen, now leading just 5-3 with the bases loaded and no outs. Bishop retired the one batter he faced, although scoring one on a sacrifice fly, replaced by Zack Hampson as Linfield's fourth pitcher in the inning.
 
Hampson allowed a game-tying double and a go-ahead sacrifice fly, putting Whitman ahead, 6-5. 
 
The Wildcats hit a pair of one-out singles in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't muster up the clutch hit needed to comeback in the series finale, falling 6-5. Linfield still claimed their fifth NWC series win of the season thanks to yesterday's sweep, remaining comfortably in second place in the conference standings, two games up on the Lewis & Clark River Otters.
 
"Really good outings by Tacheny and Ouellette yesterday, they've been good all season, but for both guys to come out like they did was really nice to see. It feels like they're hitting their peak at the right time of the year" Said Head Coach Jordan Harlow on yesterday's wins that earned the series win.
 
"Anytime you get starting pitching like we did, it's going to give you a good chance to win. It's good to get the series."
 
"Wednesday [against George Fox] will be a good tune-up. You're able to learn some things from this series and then apply it to those mid-week games. The guys are excited about the series at Puget Sound, they've got a good team, so it'll be fun."
 
Holm and Hubka's homers help them each to two-RBI days, while Gullard also had two hits in the game. The Wildcats were outhit, 15-10, stranding eight runners on the bases. Jaeger (0-2) was credited with the loss after his two batters faced came around to score the winning runs in the seventh. 
 
With 20 wins on the season and two NWC series left to play, head coach Jordan Harlow has the best start through 30 games in a season since 2017. 
 
UP NEXT
Baseball hosts the George Fox Bruins in a non-conference single-game matchup this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. before heading to Tacoma to face the Puget Sound Loggers in a three-game series next weekend.
 
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