McMinnville, Ore. – The Whitworth softball team split the Northwest Conference opener in a doubleheader against Linfield, forcing extra innings in both games at Del Smith Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Linfield claimed the 7-6 victory after nine innings in game one, while the Pirates flipped the script and won 7-6 in 15 innings to wrap up the day.
Whitworth moves to 4-4 on the season, while Linfield, who finished the 2012 season as runner-up in the NCAA Division III championship game and opened the 2013 campaign ranked fifth in the NCAA, finished the day with a record of 1-1.
Freshman Bailey Kasler finished the day 4-8, with 4 RBI.
Game 1 – Linfield 7, Whitworth 6
Whitworth scored first as Bailey Kasler hit a single that scored senior Jamie Brunner. The Pirates regained the lead in the second when junior Caylan Haehl's single scored junior Julia Johnson. The Bucs took a 4-1 lead in the top of the third inning, when Kasler's double scored Brunner and senior Natalie Evers.
The Wildcats were able to get two runs back to pull the score to 4-3 at the bottom of the third. The Pirates pushed ahead 5-3 in the fifth inning, as Kasler scored on a double from freshman Megan John.
Linfield tied it up at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning and each team was able to tally a run in the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings. Neither team was able to get ahead until the bottom of the ninth inning when Lisa Yamamoto hit one over the center field fence to score Linfield's winning run.
Redshirt sophomore Taylor Gilbert (1-3) took the loss, facing 44 batters in eight innings pitched. She gave up seven runs and 15 hits. Shelby VandeBergh got the win (1-0), pitching three innings, giving up two hits and a run.
Kasler went 3-3 from the plate, with three RBI and a run.
Game 2
Linfield struck first, going up 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Whitworth tied it up as sophomore Riley Fritz scored on Jamie Brunner's triple. The Bucs had a big fifth inning as they were able to score three runs to take a 4-2 lead.
Bailey Kasler followed Jamie Brunner's left field double with a single to center field, and then advanced to second on the throw, which scored Brunner. Megan John doubled to left field, scoring Kasler. Following a pitching change, John moved to third after Julia Johnson struck out. Senior Heather Hesselgesser earned an RBI, allowing Megan John to cross home plate on a single to center field.
Linfield tied the game up in the bottom of the sixth and then both teams scored two runs each in the eighth inning to stay tied 6-6.
After six scoreless innings, Whitworth was finally able to connect in the 15th inning. In the top of the 15th, Caylan Haehl reached first base on a single and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Haehl reached third after sophomore Sacha Clow grounded out. Riley Fritz flied out to left field, but Haehl was able to get the go-ahead run, which ended up as the winning running. Linfield went down in order in the bottom of the inning, giving Whitworth the 7-6 victory.
Riley Fritz (2-2) earned the win, spending 14 innings in the circle for the Bucs. She gave up six runs on 12 hits, while striking out 10 batters. Shelby VandeBergh (1-1) pitched 9.1 innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits.
Sacha Clow went 3-5 at the plate, and finished the game with an RBI, while Heather Hesselgesser went 4-7 with an RBI and a run.
Whitworth will face Linfield on Sunday in a pair of doubleheaders that will begin at noon in McMinnville.
