Linfield University Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield baseball (23-17, 15-9 NWC) wrapped up the regular season with senior day on Sunday afternoon at Roy Helser Field, falling 8-6 in the series finale against Lewis & Clark (22-18, 14-10 NWC). 
 
Prior to the game, Linfield honored a senior class of 12 alongside their friends and families on Roy Helser Field: Keegan Weston, Jackson Bui, Rylan Gullard, Josh Mansur, Trent Wainfeld, Garret Ringer, Nick Holm, Ely Kennel, Wyatt Hurley, Garrett Hames, Casey Struckmeier, and Brian Mannion.
 
With the conference series locked up due to yesterday's two-game sweep, Linfield opted for a bullpen game in the finale, starting senior Casey Struckmeier. Two singles began the game for Lewis & Clark, scoring on a fielder's choice to take a 1-0 lead early on. Ely Kennel and Jackson Bui threatened with stolen bases to get into scoring position, but were unable to come around to score.
 
The River Otters extended their lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the second, quickly erased by the Wildcats in the bottom half. Nick Holm, Wyatt Hurley, and Keegan Weston hit three-straight two-out singles, loading the bases for a Jevin Patterson double to center to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Each team scored one in the fourth, with Linfield's Austin Gonia scoring on a wild pitch to lead 4-3.
 
Jacob Bishop came in on the mound in the fifth, relieving Jack Williams. Lewis & Clark's two-out rally of their own scored three, capped of by a two-run homer to left to go up 6-4 over the Wildcats.
 
Wyatt Hurley pitched the sixth and seventh innings on the mound, finishing his senior day by hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, putting the 'Cats within one. Lewis & Clark responded in the seventh off of Brian Mannion, scoring two runs on three hits push the lead to 8-5.
 
Austin Gonia led off the eighth with a single to center, stealing second before scoring on a Kennel line-drive double to left-center field; 8-6. 
 
The Otters held on to capture the series finale, a much-needed win for Lewis & Clark to earn the No. 3-seed after Puget Sound defeated Pacific Lutheran earlier in the day. 
 
"Credit to these guys. From day one in the Fall, they bought into this program, and it has shown" said head coach Jordan Harlow following Sunday's game. 
 
"These guys are great competitors, they're never out of it, and they've bought into the idea of just doing their job. No one tries to be the hero and as a result they've become a dangerous club at the end of the year."
 
"I was pleased yesterday. It's nice to already know our seed, and it was important that we got that seed. We did a great job Saturday to battle back." Said Harlow on the team's two late-inning wins on Saturday.
 
In regards to the conference tournament: "You just gotta get in, you know, anything can happen. We've been as dangerous as anybody in 18-innings in one day. That's a good feeling, and I think we're seeing some positive things clicking here at the end of the season, so we'll have a great week of practice and attack Friday." Said Harlow.
 
Bishop (1-2) was credited with the loss following three runs on three hits in his one inning of work. Lewis & Clark's Connor Broschard (2-1) earned the win with one hit in 1.1 innings pitched. 
 
Patterson's double earned him a team-high three runs batted in, while both Keegan Weston and Austin Gonia tallied three hits in five plate appearances. Linfield out-hit Lewis & Clark, 14-8.
 
Baseball ends the regular season having won six of eight NWC series', falling short only to two postseason tournament teams in Whitworth and Puget Sound. Head Coach Jordan Harlow led the Wildcats to their most NWC wins in a single-season since 2018, and earned the third-most NWC wins by a first-year Linfield baseball head coach in program history (15). 
 
UP NEXT
The 'Cats enter the 2026 Northwest Conference Baseball Tournament as the No. 2-seed set to take on No. 3-seed Lewis & Clark in the first round next Friday in Spokane, Washington. The top-seeded Whitworth Pirates serve as the host, facing No. 4-seed Puget Sound on their home turf.
 
The full NWC Baseball Tournament schedule will be announced early next week by the Northwest Conference office.
 
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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