MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Visiting Whitworth dropped the first two games of a Northwest Conference baseball series against Linfield on Saturday at Roy Helser Field. The Pirates lost the opener 12-1 and dropped the second game 3-2 after Linfield's ninth inning heroics.
Whitworth (5-11, 2-3 NWC) and Linfield (6-8, 3-4 NWC) will wrap up the series on Sunday with a single game starting at noon.
Game 1- Linfield 12, Whitworth 1
Linfield scored four runs in the second inning to grab an early 4-0 lead on the Pirates. The Bucs were able to push across their sole run of the game in the top of third when Aaron Clogston scored Austin Paul on a sacrifice fly.
Linfield answered in the fourth with a single run and erupted in the seventh with seven more runs, beating the Pirates 12-1. The Wildcats' offense was led by designated hitter Cameron Skinner, going 4-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
John Over (W, 1-1) started on the mound for Linfield and earned the win, going five innings while allowing two hits and tallying seven strikeouts.
Whitworth's Hunter Williams (L, 0-2) took the loss while throwing five innings allowing six hits and four earned runs. In relief for the Bucs' was Dylan Bishop (1IP, 3H, 6ER) and Landon Shigeta (2IP, 2H, 1ER).
Seven Pirates got a single hit in the game.
Game 2- Linfield 3, Whitworth 2
Nick Holm's deep drive to left drove in the walk-off run to give the Wildcats a sweep of the doubleheader.
Linfield recorded the first run of the game in the third inning when Jake Hoskins doubled to left field for an RBI. The Wildcats would keep their 1-0 lead on the Bucs until the seventh inning.
Whitworth took a 2-1 lead in the seventh. The Pirates' first run came on a Hunter Dryden RBI double that scored Aidan Morrison and moved Cameron Ley to third. Ley scored on Riley Cissne's ground out to deep shortstop. The two runs gave the Bucs' their first and what would be their only lead of the day.
Danny Kahn quickly responded for the Wildcats in the bottom half of the seventh with an RBI single to right field, tying up the game 2-2. Riley Whelan limited the damage to on run after Linfield had the bases loaded with only one out.
Dramatics came in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and runners on first and third base. Holm singled to left center for an RBI, walking off the Bucs 3-2.
Whitworth's starting pitcher Giovanni Costello went 5.1 innings allowing just one run on two hits. In relief, Whelan allowed just one run on four hits in 2.2 innings and Aidan Smith (L, 0-1) went 0.2 innings allowing one run on one hit.
Casey Struckmeier started for the Wildcats, throwing five scoreless innings and allowing just three hits. Gavin Ludlow (W, 1-1) earned the win in relief allowing no runs on three hits in 1.2 innings.
Dryden led the Pirates' offense going 2-4 with an RBI.
