Linfield Splits at NCAA D-III West Tournament

The loss to second-ranked Louisiana College drops the Wildcats into an elimination game Friday morning at noon Central Time against Chapman.

Photo courtesy: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Linfield’s plan for a repeat of last season’s NCAA Division III national championship absorbed a blow across the bow from Louisiana College Thursday night at the West Regional playoff tournament, hosted by the University of Tyler-Texas.

The Lady Wildcats (40-5), from Pineville, La., rode the arm of freshman pitcher Kelly Williams to a 4-0 shutout victory. Earlier in the day, Linfield topped Redlands 1-0 in eight innings, getting a fortunate call by the home plate umpire to win the game.

The loss to second-ranked Louisiana College drops the No. 4 Wildcats (37-5) into an elimination game Friday morning at noon Central Time against Chapman.

LOUISIANA COLLEGE 4, LINFIELD 0

Williams pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout in only her sixth collegiate start to improve to 8-2.

Linfield’s lone hit came by way of a double from Meredith Brunette (Sr., Beaverton, Ore.) in the sixth inning. It was Brunette's team-leading 15th double of the season and 46th of her career, breaking the Linfield record held by Stephanie Morgan, who played her final season in 2006.

Louisiana College leadoff hitter Ashley Clement went 3 for 4 in the game and drove in a run while Erica Harwell was 2 for 2.

The Lady Wildcats scored single runs in the first and second innings, then added two insurance runs in the fifth.

In her second start of the day, Wildcats ace Brittany Miller (Jr., Port Orchard, Wash.) took the loss to fall to 17-2. Miller lasted two innings before giving way to relievers Kendra Strahm and Samantha Van Noy (Soph., Sherwood, Ore.). Together, the three ‘Cats managed three strikeouts while surrendering nine hits and three walks.

LINFIELD 1, REDLANDS 0

In a bizarre finish that ended a classic pitcher’s duel, freshman McKensie Booth scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The battle between Top 10 teams was a rematch of last season’s West Region championship, when No. 4 Linfield beat seventh-ranked Redlands twice on the same day to advance to the NCAA Finals.

With all-star pitchers Miller of Linfield and Katie Brnca of Redlands handcuffing hitters from both sides, the playoff game between the two West Coast rivals was decided in extra innings.

Linfield put runners at first and second with one out in the eighth, then Bulldogs coach Laurie Nevarez called for Brnca to intentionally walk Brunette and load the bases to avoid facing one of the Wildcats’ top hitters. Booth scored the game-winning run when Brnca’s pitch grazed Amanda Attleberger (Sr., Vancouver, Wash.), forcing home the deciding run.

Miller struck out nine batters to improve to 17-1 for the season. She surrendered six hits without a walk to collect her seventh shutout of the season.

Brnca held the hard-hitting Wildcats to just three hits, but walked four batters. The Bulldogs also committed three errors behind their all-star pitcher during the one-hour, 42-minute contest.

No player had more than one hit in the game. Brunette, Jenny Marshall (Sr., Sherwood, Ore.), and Emily Keagbine each had hits for Linfield. Nicky Neumann, Melanie Hamlin, Lizette Casillas, Roxy Lambert and Kayla Peterson all provided well-placed hits for the Bulldogs.

The loss moves Redlands, the tournament’s fifth-seeded team, to the elimination bracket where they will face the loser of today’s Texas-Tyler and La Verne matchup on Friday at 10 a.m.

‘CAT SCRATCH: Linfield improved its series record against Redlands to 11-6, including wins in the last four meetings. . . Brnca, an all-conference and all-region pitcher, fell to 18-7 for the season. . . Linfield moved its all-time record in regional playoff games to 14-8.

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