McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Just as visiting Whitworth was catching up, Linfield pulled away for a 12-5 win over the Pirates in a Northwest Conference baseball game on Sunday afternoon at Roy Helser Field, allowing the Wildcats to avoid a series sweep.

Whitworth fell to 19-11 overall and 10-8 in the NWC while Linfield improved to 16-13, 7-8.  The Pirates will host Pacific Lutheran in another three-game conference set on Friday and Saturday this week.

Trailing 1-0 into the fifth, the Pirates tied the game 1-1 on an RBI single by Junior Garcia.  The tie was short-lived as Linfield leadoff batter Nick Holm hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth.    The Wildcats extended the lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the seventh after a two-run homer by Luke Porter.

The Pirates rallied with four runs in the top of the eighth, all unearned, thanks in part to a pair of Linfield errors.  Kyle Memarian had a two-run double in the rally.

The hope didn't last long as Linfield put the game away by scoring six runs in the bottom of the eighth.  Porter drilled a grand slam for his second home run of the game.

Quentin O'Connor (5-3) took the loss after allowing four runs on 10 hits in five innings.  Four Pirates followed in relief. 

Matthew Tacheny (1-1) threw five strong innings for Linfield, allowing one run on three hits. 

Memarian and Austin Paul were the only Whitworth batters with more than one hit in the game.