Linfield Extends Lead in NWC Title Chase With Sweep

The wins added additional cushion in the NWC title chase for the Wildcats.

Brittany Miller raises record to 15-1. Photo courtesy: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Fourth-ranked Linfield dealt Northwest Conference rival Pacific its first back-to-back losses of the season, winning 1-0 and 8-3 Sunday on the Linfield diamond.

The wins added additional cushion in the NWC title chase for the Wildcats (32-2, 21-1 NWC), who opened up a four-game lead in the standings with six games to play.

Unranked Pacific (27-5, 16-4 NWC) played the four-time defending champion Wildcats as tight as any team this season in the opener, but fell behind early in the nightcap and never recovered.

GAME 1

Linfield’s Erica Hancock (Sr., Boardman, Ore.) singled to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking a scoreless tie.

The pitcher’s duel, pitting the Wildcats’ Brittany Miller (Jr., Port Orchard, Wash.) against the Boxers Miranda McNealy, lived up to its all-star billing. Miller (15-1) tossed a three hitter, striking out five Boxers with only one walk.

Despite nagging soreness in her knee throughout the game, McNealy held the Wildcats without a run for six innings. She struck out eight batters but allowed the same number of walks, eventually taking the Game 1 loss to fall to 15-2.

Linfield threatened with runners at third base in the second, third and fifth innings, but each time, McNealy found a way to wriggle off the hook.

The Wildcats loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. And again, the Boxers made the defensive play necessary to get out of the inning. Jessica Popiel (Soph., Beavercreek, Ore.) put the ball in play with a slow ground ball, but Emily Keagbine (Fr., Portland, Ore.) was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Linfield made its move in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with one out. That set the stage for Hancock’s heroics as the senior drove the ball through the infield, allowing Jenny Marshall (Sr., Sherwood, Ore.) to score from third.

Stephanie Rice (Sr., Milwaukie, Ore.) went 2 for 3 at the plate to pace a six-hit attack.

Croxford, Brooke Fogwell and Kelly Nishitomi each had hits for the Boxers.

GAME 2

Pacific matched Linfield hit for hit, but the Wildcats made their opportunities count.

Fueling the Wildcats at the plate were Marshall and Meredith Brunette (Sr., Beaverton, Ore.), who each collected two hits in the contest.

The ‘Cats drew first blood with a pair of unearned runs in the first inning. Rice scored on an error by Boxers’ third baseman Fogwell, then the Wildcats made it 2-0 after Fogwell fumbled a grounder by Hancock that scored Brunette.

Marshall padded the Wildcats’ lead in the second stanza with an RBI single that scored Rochelle Friend (Soph., Hood River, Ore.).

With runners at the corners and one out in the third inning, Fogwell cut the Pacific deficit to 3-1, sending a base hit to center field that scored Nishitomi. Wildcats starter Kendra Strahm (Jr., Medford, Ore.), who had surrendered six hits to that point, limited the collateral damage by striking out Brooke Toy to end the inning.

Linfield freshman Alex Hartmann (Fr., Medina, Wash.) broke the game open with a three-run homer in the third off of Boxers starter Andrea Bansen. Hartmann’s second roundtripper of the season made it 6-1.

Pacific loaded the bases on Strahm with two outs in the fourth. Caitlin Mastenbroek singled up the middle to score a run, pulling the visitors to within four. Linfield added to its lead in the bottom of the frame when Brunette scored from third on a passed ball.

A solo home run by Kim Whittaker in the fifth kept the Boxers close, 7-3, but the Wildcats weren’t content to rest on their lead. Rice doubled, then headed for home after a single by Brunette to right field.

Stephanie Vanoudenhaegen went 3 for 3, Mastenbroek was 2 for 3 and Whittaker was 2 for 2 for the Boxers.

Bansen (12-3) took the loss, surrendering 10 hits, six walks and six earned runs. Strahm improved to 14-1, giving up eight hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

AHEAD: The Boxers and Wildcats still must determine a makeup date for the remaining two games of their series, which could be played this week at Linfield. The Wildcats are also scheduled to play Willamette for a four-game set, Saturday in McMinnville and Sunday in Salem.

Source: Linfield Athletics

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