Linfield University Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield baseball (23-16, 15-8 NWC) locked up the conference's No. 2 seed in the postseason tournament, taking both games from Lewis & Clark (21-18, 13-10 NWC) on Saturday. An eighth-inning solo shot from Josh Mansur and 11th-inning walk-off blast by Ely Kennel came through in the clutch in both games. 
 
GAME ONE
Lewis & Clark notched a single to leadoff the game, but starter Matthew Tacheny faced the minimum after a groundball double play. The River Otters had one single in each of the first four innings, but weren't able to get runners into scoring position.
 
Senior infielder Ely Kennel gave the Wildcats their first hit of the game in the fourth, stranded on third after a strikeout and lineout. Rylan Gullard led off the fifth, beating out a slow roller to third. He stole second but was doubled off the base after leaving early on a fly ball to center, ending the threat.
 
Carter Studer pitched the next two innings out of the bullpen for Linfield, allowing just one two-out single to left, keeping the game scoreless into the eighth. 
 
Zack Hampson towed the line, entering in the eighth, also allowing only one single with two down in the inning. In the home half, right fielder Josh Mansur opened with a solo homer to deep left field, putting Linfield ahead 1-0.
 
Hampson maintained the shutout and earned himself the win after a pair of pop-ups and groundout to end the game. The 'Cats took game one of the three-game series behind strong pitching and a clutch game-winning deep shot from Mansur. 
 
The River Otters out-hit the Wildcats six to three in the pitchers duel. Kennel, Gullard and Mansur tallied one each, with Mansur's game-winning solo shot serving as the only score. 
 
Tacheny tossed five shutout innings, allowing four hits while tying a season-high five strikeouts. Reliever Zack Hampson (6-0) earned his sixth win of the year, throwing the final two innings, allowing just one hit. 
 
GAME TWO
Sophomore Colton Ouellette got the starting nod in game two, coming off of starts in the previous two series where he struck out nine and seven batters. He got into some trouble early with a one-out single that scored following an infield error and another single, putting Lewis & Clark on the board with a 1-0 lead.
 
For a second-straight game, Kennel was the first Wildcat to reach base, hitting a single through the right side in the home first. The infielder got into scoring position on a wild pitch, scoring on a double from Wyatt McClory to level the game. Cole Snidow made it back-to-back doubles, scoring McClory and putting the Wildcats up 2-1 after one.
 
Ouellette got out of a jam in the second after giving the Otters two free bases, striking out the next two hitters to preserve the lead. Caiden Gould led off with a single to center in the bottom half, followed by a Jaxson Kister walk. Cole Hubka doubled over the head of the left fielder, scoring Gould. A Kennel groundout and Nick Holm sacrifice fly brought home two more to extend the lead to 5-1.
 
Ouellette went four innings, allowing one run on two hits while sitting down three Otters. He threw just 64 pitches in his four frames, unable to qualify for the win. 
 
Linfield made it 6-1 in the fifth, Gullard got caught in a rundown between first and second, prompting Wyatt McClory to take home and score as the Otters catcher was blocking the plate. Luke Schoeffler replaced Ouellette to begin the fifth, getting into some trouble in the top of the sixth where he allowed a two-out home run, cutting the lead to 6-3.
 
Brian Mannion maintained the lead through the seventh and eighth without allowing an Otters hit, replaced by Josh Mansur on the mound in the ninth. Mansur struck out his first batter, but two hits and a walk scored one before Zach Jaeger took over for Mansur on the mound, eliminating the designated hitter in Jackson Bui who came into right field at the start of the inning.
 
Lewis & Clark tied the game with an RBI-single, scoring the tying run on a throwing error to first by the shortstop Hubka, sending the game to extra innings tied 6-6.
 
Neither team scored in the tenth, but the Otters loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the 11^th, forcing head coach Jordan Harlow to bring in left hander Jacob Bishop out of the bullpen. Bishop escaped with a clutch, full-count, strikeout, to give the 'Cats a chance to win in the home half. 
 
The first two Wildcats were unable to reach base, but Hubka singled to the six-hole, opening the door for Ely Kennel to rip a two-run shot on an 0-2 count to deep right field, walking-off the game for Linfield. It's Kennel's second extra-inning walk-off this season, and it also secures the No. 2-seed in the Northwest Conference Baseball Tournament next weekend. 
 
Linfield had 11 hits to Lewis & Clark's 7, two each came from Kennel, McClory, Gullard and Hubka. Kennel's homer helped him drive in three of the 'Cats eight runs in the game. A handful of pitchers appeared in the game, but it was Bishop (1-1) who earned his first collegiate win on just one-third inning of work. 
 
Linfield handed Lewis & Clark's Matt Stanislavsky (3-1) his first loss this season.
 
UP NEXT
Baseball closes out the series tomorrow at Noon against the River Otters, following senior day recognition beginning at 11:30 a.m. The 'Cats are bound for the NWC Tournament as the No. 2 seed, and will face either Lewis & Clark or Puget Sound in the opening round; final seeding will be determined based on tomorrow's games in McMinnville and Tacoma.
 
To follow Linfield Wildcats coverage all season long, visit golinfieldwildcats.com. Please consider following Linfield Athletics on Facebook, and @LinfieldSports on Instagram and X.com. 
 
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