PARKLAND - Linfield scored 22 runs on 29 hits and got outstanding starting pitching in sweeping aside Pacific Lutheran, 12-8 and 10-2, in a Northwest Conference doubleheader played on Saturday afternoon at the PLU baseball field.

The Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in Division III baseball, improved its season record to 22-4 while improving to a conference-leading 15-2. Pacific Lutheran is now 15-11 overall and 6-8 in the Northwest Conference.

Game One - Linfield 12, PLU 8

The game wasn't as close as the final score indicated as Pacific Lutheran rallied for seven runs in the eighth inning.

Linfield held a 3-0 lead after four innings before scoring three runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. It led 12-0 before PLU finally got on the board with a run in the bottom of the seventh.

A trio of Linfield players had three hits in the opening game. Leadoff hitter Tim Wilson was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, third-hole hitter Jake Wylie was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI, and cleanup hitter Kramer Lindell was 3-for-6 with three runs batted in. Nick Fisher added two hits and three RBI and both Clayton Truex and Kyle Chamberlain had a pair of safeties as the Wildcats collected 17 hits, six of them doubles, against the Lutes.

They did most of their damage against PLU ace Max Beatty, who went five innings and allowed nine runs, eight earned, on 13 hits. He walked two batters and struck out six. Chris Bishop closed it out, allowing three runs, all earned, on four hits and four walks in four innings.

Trailing 12-0, PLU got a run back in the seventh on a fielder's choice ground out by Jacob Olsufka following two walks sandwiched around Trevor Lubking's double.

The Lutes made it a little interested with a seven-run eighth inning, benefitting from Linfield largesse and a couple of hits. Two walks and a single by Carson McCord loaded the bases, and Alec Beal and Lubking followed by drawing run-scoring walks. A wild pitch scored the third run of the inning, and after another walk re-loaded the bases, a fielding error accounted for yet another run. Collin Nilson then cleared the sacks with a double to the base of the fence in left centerfield. Relief pitcher Garett Speyer got out of the inning by retiring the next three batters, but by then PLU had cuts its deficit to 12-8.

Speyer closed out his two-inning stint in the ninth, giving Linfield the victory.

Linfield starting pitcher Chris Haddeland was dominant, allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings of work. He struck out 11 Lutes and walked three to improve his season record to 7-1.

Game Two - Linfield 10, PLU 2

Aaron Thomassen gave the Wildcats their second consecutive strong starting effort as he allowed just one earned run on six hits in seven innings of work. He struck out seven and walked to while improving his record to 7-0. Cody Erautt did mop up duty, allowing a run on a hit in two innings.

The Wildcats opened the scoring with two runs in the second, and they added on in each of the next five frames.

Wilson had two hits and drove in three runs, Jordan Harlow had two hits and scored three runs, and Truex added three hits while scoring a run and driving in one.

The Lutes scored a run in the bottom of the fourth on a double by Drew Oord, a single by Lubking, and walks to Curtis Wildung and AJ Konopaski. Their other tally came in the eighth when Lubking walked and came around on Clay Trushinsky's double to the gap in right centerfield.

Pacific Lutheran finished with seven hits, including three by Oord and two by Lubking.

Starting pitcher Cory Nelson took the loss, his first decision of the season. He allowed eight runs, seven of them earned, on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three. Jake Otness pitched 3 2/3 innings and Nathan Shoup finished it up with a perfect ninth inning.

The two teams conclude their three-game conference series with a single nine-inning contest starting at noon on Sunday.

- PLU -