Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MCMINNVILLE, Ore. - The Pacific Lutheran University softball team went toe-to-toe with No. 1 ranked Linfield University on Sunday but was unable to close out either game down the stretch, falling 5-4 and 8-7 to close out the Northwest Conference series. 
 
The top-ranked Wildcats (19-1, 8-0 NWC) drew first blood, capitalizing on a Lute error to push across a run in the bottom of the second inning. The shoe was on the other foot in the top of the third with Chaella Galapon reaching base on a Wildcat error. A Cailey Collado single moved Galapon to second before an Erin McGrath double to left field cleared the bases, giving the Lutes (6-10, 3-5 NWC) the 2-1 advantage. 
 
Linfield answered in the fourth, scoring a pair of runs before adding another in the sixth to stake a 5-2 lead. Galapon and McGrath both homered in the top of the seventh but it wasn't enough, falling 5-4 to the No. 1 ranked Wildcats. 
 
Erin McGrath finished two-for-three at the plate with three RBIs while Galapon was two-for-four and scored two runs.
 
Kennedy Robillard logged 5 1/3 innings inside the circle, collecting three strikeouts and yielding four earned runs. Molly House saw 2/3 innings of work, recording a strikeout and allowing one hit.
 
The Lutes struck first in game two with McGrath getting things started in the top of the first with a double to center field. McGrath scored on a Casey Wright single before a Kassidi Dean double to right field scored Wright for the 2-0 lead. 
 
Linfield answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first before Mikayla Chun blasted a solo home run to leadoff the second. Cailey Collado singled to center field later in the inning, bringing in Sarah Potwin to seize the 4-1 advantage. 
 
The Cats claimed the lead in the bottom of the second, putting up five runs to take a 6-4 lead. The Lutes sliced the lead in half in the third with a Marley Dyer sacrifice fly scoring Wright. Linfield would pad its lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to build an 8-5 advantage.
 
PLU rallied in the seventh, with an Erin McGrath double scoring Taylor Shigeta while a Wright sacrifice fly brought in McGrath, closing to within a single run before Linfield induced a groundout to escape with the win.
 
Six Lutes picked up a base hit in game two including McGrath and Wright both finishing two-for-four with two runs scored. 
 
Pacific Lutheran is back on the diamond on Friday, hosting George Fox University in a twinbill at PLU Field.