McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Cather Ashley Sutton drove in five runs as top-seeded Linfield broke open a tight-pitchers' duel by scoring five times in the bottom of the fourth and won 9-0 over visiting Whitworth in five innings in the opening game of the 2023 Northwest Conference softball tournament on Friday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.
The 6th-ranked Wildcats (38-3) advance to the winners' bracket while the Pirates (23-18) fall to the losers' bracket on Saturday. Pacific Lutheran and George Fox play in Friday's second opening-round game.
Whitworth pitcher Corinne Vasiloff (15-8) allowed only one hit and two base-runners through the first three innings. Linfield broke through with five runs in the bottom of the fourth, including back-to-back two-run doubles by Ashley Sutton and Katrina Johns.
The Wildcats ended the game on the eight-run rule with four more in the bottom of the fifth. Sutton hit a three-run home run to end it.
Linfield pitcher Tayah Kelly did not allow a hit through five innings and improved to 25-0. She struck out two Pirates.
