McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield baseball (20-14, 12-6 NWC) came up short in the mid-week non-conference matchup, 8-2, to the George Fox Bruins (14-20, 8-10 NWC).
 
In a bullpen game for both Northwest Conference squads, Jack Williams earned the starting nod. Williams sat down the firs two batters he faced, then allowing a single, double, and single to put George Fox up 2-0 in the first frame.
 
The Bruins found three singles in the second off of Matthew Tacheny, extending their lead to 3-0. Wyatt Hurley walked before Josh Mansur singled to right centerfield, scoring one on a wild pitch; 3-1 Bruins.
 
George Fox quickly loaded the bases, scoring one on a bases-loaded walk, forcing head coach Jordan Harlow to go to Brian Mannion out of the pen. Mannion shut the door on a big inning, now trailing 4-1 in the fourth. 
 
Reliever Jacob Bishop loaded the bases in the sixth, bringing home one run on a hit by pitch to extend the lead to 5-1. George Fox added one more in the seventh with a pair of singles. Spencer Kowalski and Keegan Weston reached base to open the home seventh, scoring one on a bases-loaded walk to make it a four run deficit.
 
A double and two singles off of two-way player Wyatt Hurley put the Bruins up 8-2 in the eighth. George Fox hung on to claim the non-conference matchup, holding Linfield to three hits.
 
Outfielder Josh Mansur recorded two of the team's three hits, going 2-4 in the game. Emmett Stein earned the lone RBI with a bases loaded walk. The Wildcats struck out eight times, leaving nine runners on the bases. Nine pitchers made an appearance in the bullpen game, with starter Jack Williams taking the loss after two runs on three hits, striking out one.
 
UP NEXT
The 'Cats hit the road for their final NWC road trip of the regular season, taking on the Puget Sound Loggers in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday in Tacoma, Washington. 
 
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