McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Linfield preserved its No. 1 national ranking and took the first step toward what it hopes to be a national softball title on Saturday afternoon, beating Pacific Lutheran, 11-6, in the Northwest Conference tournament championship game.
The tournament title sends Linfield (41-2) into the national tournament. Pacific Lutheran (31-13) can only hope that the tournament selection committee looks favorably on the program's best season in eight years and awards the Lutes an at-large bid to national postseason play.
The Lutes had earned a spot opposite the host Wildcats in the NWC tournament title game by virtue of a convincing 7-0 shutout of the Whitworth Pirates in a loser-out game played Saturday morning.
LINFIELD 11, PACIFIC LUTHERAN 6
Linfield (41-2) came out swinging, opening up a 4-0 lead after just one inning on a two-run double by Emily Keagbine and a two-run homer by Karleigh Prestianni, her eighth round-tripper of the year.
The Lutes (31-13) scored one run apiece in the next two innings to make it 4-2. In the second, Kaaren Hatlen was hit by a pitch and Lindsey Matsunaga hit a double. With two outs, Haley Harshaw hit a single to drive in Hatlen, but Matsunaga was thrown out at the plate to end the rally. One inning later, Amanda Goings hit a single and later scored on a Linfield throwing error.
Linfield exploded for another three runs in the bottom of the third to make it 7-2 in favor of the Wildcats. Emilee Lepp's leadoff homer, her 26th long ball, highlighted the inning.
The Lutes were undaunted, scoring two runs on three hits in the fourth inning. Matsunaga led off with a single, Glenelle Nitta reached on a fielder's choice, and Katie Lowery hit a single to load the bases. With two outs, Goings hit a single up the middle to drive in two runs and pull the Lutes to within three at 7-4.
Linfield finally broke the game open with four runs in the fifth inning. After consecutive walks to open the inning, Prestianni hit a two-run double, Alex Hartmann drove in another run with a double, and Ashley Garcia finished the rally with a sacrifice fly.
To its credit, PLU never threw in the towel, scoring two runs on five hits in the top of the seventh inning and loading the bases before the final out was recorded. Jackie Martinez and Goings led off with singles, and both scored on Kaely Cuthill's double. Singles by Stacey Hagensen and Nitta, sandwiched around a throwing error, loaded the bases, but Lowery's fly ball to center ended the game.
The Lutes out-hit the Wildcats, 11-8, with Going collecting three singles and Matsunaga adding a pair of hits. Both Goings and Cuthill drove in a pair of runs for PLU.
Prestianni finished the game with two hits and five RBI to lead Linfield.
Starting pitcher Hagensen gave up all 11 runs for PLU before being relieved at the top of the sixth inning. Martinez, a senior, threw a hitless inning for PLU.
PLU 8, Whitworth 0
Kaely Cuthill drove in four runs and Stacey Hagensen threw a five-hit shutout to lead Pacific Lutheran to an 8-0 win over Whitworth and into the championship game of the 2011 Northwest Conference softball tournament on Saturday afternoon at Linfield College.
The Pirates conclude the season 20-19, the team's first 20-win season and winning record since 2007.
Whitworth had a chance to grab an early lead against Hagensen and the Lutes. In the second inning, Caty Lieseke singled and Emily Anderson doubled to give the Bucs runners at second and third with only one out. But Kelsey Ayers popped out to second base and Heather Hesselgesser fouled out to end the threat.
PLU broke loose for five runs after two were out in the second inning. Haley Harshaw and Ami Gran collected RBI singles before Cuthill drove a ball to the wall in right field for a three-run triple.
The Lutes added two more in the third with one run scoring on an illegal pitch and a second coming home on a ground ball to third base.
Cuthill doubled home the final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth.
Hagensen improved to 21-5 with her fourth win of the season over Whitworth.
Anderson (13-8) started in the circle for the Pirates and took the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits through two official innings. Jessica Dickson tossed the final 3.1 innings for Whitworth and allowed one run on five hits.
Kimmi Kumangai went 2-2 at the plate for the Bucs.
- PLU -
