Linfield University Athletics

TACOMA, Wash. – Tyler McNeley tossed two complete-game victories, Meara Sain contributed six hits and McKenna Parmelee added four more to power the Linfield Wildcats to a pair of wins Friday in the Northwest Conference Softball Tournament Friday at the Pacific Lutheran University Field.
 
The Wildcats (36-6) advance to Sunday's NWC Championship round at 11 a.m., where they will be rematched with PLU (34-9). Linfield needs to only win once while the PLU must prevail twice over the Wildcats to be declared NWC Tournament champion. A second game, if necessary, will be played at 1:30 p.m.
 
Linfield 4, Pacific Lutheran 2
Linfield cashed in on PLU miscue in the sixth inning to take the lead for good, capping the Wildcats' second successful come-from-behind win of the day.
 
McNeley (21-4) struck out three and walked one batter on the way to her second win of the afternoon while also avenging one of her few losses of the season.
 
Sain went 3 for 4 with a stolen base, Parmelee was 2 for 4, and Lexiss Antle went 2 for 3.
 
The Wildcats open the scoring in the top of the third inning after Brenna Bartek's ground out bought enough time for pinch runner Brooklyn Sweatman to score from second base. The Lutes answered with a single run in the bottom of the frame, knotting the score at 1 when Kamalini Doctor's sacrifice RBI to right field scored Syan Yamamoto from third base.
 
Ashlyn Sera's RBI single to right-center field gave PLU a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
 
In the Linfield sixth, the Wildcats loaded the bases for Antle, the Wildcats' No. 9 hitter, who calmly delivered the game-tying RBI single. A wild pitch by Lutes all-star pitcher Paige Wilson on the ensuing at-bat brought home the winning run and the Wildcats added an insurance run in the seventh on Parmelee's RBI single.
 
Wilson (19-2) suffered just her second pitching loss of the season and first at the hands of an NWC opponent. She struck out seven but gave up 10 hits.

Doctor went 3 for 3 and Bri Sarae was 2 for 4 to lead the Lutes offensively. 
 
Linfield 5, Lewis & Clark 2
A five-run third inning produced all the scoring Linfield would need to surge past Lewis & Clark in the opening round game.
 
The River Otters took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Emily Patton doubled to right field, driving home Lacey Marglin and McKenna Zehnder.
 
The Wildcats roared back to take the lead in the third. Cydney Hess tied the game with a two-run double to right-center field, plating Meara Sain and Breanna Bartek. Minutes later, freshman McKenna Parmelee drilled a double to right field, allowing pinch runner Josie Brooks and Ashlyn Aven to score. Pinch runner Annika Dayberry stretched the score to 5-2, scoring from third base on a wild pitch.
 
Sain went 3 for 4 at the plate while Parmelee added a pair of base hits to lead the Wildcats offensively.
 
Linfield pitching ace Tyler McNeley struck out seven Otters and scattered five hits on the way to her 20th pitching victory of the season.
 
L&C star Maggie O'Leary took the loss to fall to 17-9. She gave up seven hits over three innings before turning the game over to reliever Ryan Jurishk.
 
Harper Campanella accounted for two of the River Otters' five hits.
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