SPOKANE, Wash. – Visiting Linfield University completed a four-game Northwest Conference softball sweep over Whitworth with two wins on Sunday at Diana Marks Field.
The Pirates fell to 2-17 overall and 0-8 against conference opponents. The Wildcats (22-2, 10-2 NWC), extended their winning streak to 15.
Whitworth will look to earn its first conference win next weekend in a four-game series at Willamette.
Game 1: Linfield 12, Whitworth 2 (5 inn.)
Linfield powered its way to a game one win behind four home runs.
The Wildcat bats started hot, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Meara Sain hit a two-run home run to center field and Kaia Young added a two-run single.
Whitworth got two runs back in the second and kept the bases busy. Four straight hitters reached base, kicked off with back-to-back hits from Camryn Sage and Tessa Hahn. After Brynn Erdmann reached on a fielder's choice, Megan Highfill plated a run with a hard-hit ball to right center. Landri Nakano followed with a sacrifice fly.
A pair of solo home runs in the third inning pushed the Linfield advantage back to four before the Wildcats broke the game open in the fifth. Ashlyn Aven hit a three-run homer to center, her second of the day, followed by a two-run double off the bat of Emily Foytack. An RBI single extended the Wildcat lead to 12-2. Linfield starting pitcher Tyler McNeley secured her second complete game of the weekend in the bottom half of the inning.
Madison Sanchez (1-6) started in the circle for the Bucs and allowed a pair of runs in the first inning. Teeghan Reams pitched 4.2 innings of relief.
McNeley (13-1) allowed four hits, two runs and struck out four in a full five innings. Aven led the Wildcats with four RBIs.
Game 2: Linfield 13, Whitworth 4 (6 inn.)
The Pirates battled at the plate and scored a pair of runs in the first inning, but the Linfield offense proved tough to slow down.
Following Aven's third home run of the day that gave the Cats an early two-run lead, Whitworth came out strong and plated two runs of their own. Hahn singled to right and Reagan Ellis followed with an RBI double down the left field line. Reams singled and an error loaded the bases for Makena Hofford, who tied the game with a sac fly.
Linfield responded with six runs over the next two innings to regain the lead. A two-out Pirate throwing error allowed two runs to score, followed by a two-run home run from Meara Sain in the second. A sacrifice fly and fielder's choice pushed two across in the third.
The Bucs cut the lead in half in the fifth. Nakano singled to open the inning before Kendel Sage worked the count full and crushed her first home run of the season to left field.
Linfield again answered and grew their lead in the sixth. A pair of home runs, an RBI double and RBI groundout put the Wildcats up 13-4. The Pirates were unable to extend the game in the bottom half.
Lina Schwippert (1-7) started in the circle for the Pirates and allowed 11 hits and struck out three in a full six inning effort. Six different Bucs recorded a hit in the game and seven reached base.
Destiny Cornwell (9-1) earned her second win of the weekend in the six-inning start for Linfield. Sain, Aven and McKenna Parmelee each tallied a pair of hits to lead the Wildcats at the plate. Emily Foytack paced the team with three RBIs. Linfield tallied seven home runs on the day.
