McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Linfield continued its undefeated season, sweeping Pacific Lutheran on Friday with 3-0 and 6-1 wins at Del Smith Stadium.
With the losses, the Lutes fell to 1-10 overall, 0-7 in conference play. Linfield improved its season record to a perfect 8-0. PLU will continue to search for its first NWC victory on Saturday when they face Willamette in a doubleheader in Salem.
Game 1 Linfield 3, PLU 0
Linfield wasted no time putting a run on the board, scoring off an RBI single by Ashley Garcia in the first inning. Lutes starter Leah Butters kept the Wildcat bats quiet over the next three innings, allowing only 1 hit and no runs.
Back-to-back singles off the bats of Kelsey Robinson and Lindsey Matsunaga started a rally for the Lutes with one out in the fourth inning. Katie Lowery reached on a fielders choice as Robinson was tagged out at third. This brought Kailyn Osaki to the plate who struck swinging to end the inning.
Linfield would eventually add an insurance run in the fifth inning with an unearned run crossing the plate in the sixth. Butters took her fifth loss of the season, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and three walks. Linfields Karina Paavola was credited with the win, allowing only five hits with nine strikeouts in her seven innings of work.
Game 2 Linfield 6, PLU 1
Robinson kept Linfields offense quiet in the first five innings, surrendering only five hits. This allowed PLU to take the lead 1-0 on a Linfield error in the sixth inning. However, a big home half of the sixth inning was the difference maker in the Wildcats 6-1 victory over the Lutes.
Linfields Garcia opened the inning with a solo shot to tie up the game. The rally continued with back-to-back singles off the bats of Erin Kinney and Erin Carson. With two runners on and no outs, Kelli Crawford entered the game to pitch relief for Robinson. An error by Matsunaga would load the bases for the Wildcats, allowing Kenzie Schmolls double to score two. Later in the inning, a McKenna Spieth triple would allow two more runs to cross the plate. A quick 1-2-3 seventh inning for Lutes closed out the game.
Robinson took the loss, allowing three runs off eight hits in five innings of work. Montana McNealy earned the win, pitching two innings of relief and allowing only one run.
