Linfield Outlasts Cavaliers in 12th for Softball Sweep
PORTLAND, Ore. – After giving up a three-run lead in the seventh, Linfield College defeated Concordia 10-4 in 12 innings to complete the double-header sweep of the Cavaliers at Delta Park on Tuesday. Linfield grabbed a 2-0 win in the first game.
With the results, Concordia dropped to 3-4 on the season.
On the verge of being shutout for the day, Concordia rallied with three runs in the seventh to send the nightcap into extra innings. With only three baserunners before the seventh, the Cavs would get three straight on board to load the bases to open the seventh.
Tina Garcia opened up the frame with a walk followed by a Rebekah Wirkkala single and a hit by pitch against Samantha Daline to quickly load the bases for the Cavs. After a foul out by Shayna Ostlund, Shalina Morris picked up her teammate with a double to center field, nearly clearing the bases.
With two runs already scored, Daline was tagged out after a collision at home following a strong relay from center to second to the awaiting catcher Emily Keagbine. With Morris on second, a Nicole Illias shot to left center got the run back for the Cavs, tying the game at three runs each.
Both teams created chances in the ninth by sacrificing runners to third only to see the half innings ended by strikeouts. Aided by using the international rule (placing a runner at second base to start each inning) in the 10th, each team managed a single run in the 11th before Linfield had six players cross the plate in the top of the 12th via three hits, two errors and a pair of passed balls, affording the Wildcats the comfortable lead.
Brittany Miller pitched 11 1/2 innings in the 3 hour, 19 minute contest, striking out 16 Cavaliers while surrendering three walks and four hits. Danielle Pulfrey took the mound for the final seven innings for the Cavs, notching 13 strikeouts against seven hits.
For the game, Linfield stranded 15 runners while Concordia left 10 on base.
In the opener, Erica Hancock got the Wildcats on the board in the first with a two-out double to send teammate Jenny Marshall home.
Closing out her fourth perfect inning in five chances, starter Kendra Strahm received some significant help from left fielder McKensie Booth who robbed Cavalier shortstop Samantha Daline of a possible home run by recording a catch while crashing through the outfield fence in the fifth.
Linfield would add a run in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly by Hancock, scoring Marshall from third.
Leading off the bottom of the sixth, the Cavs would get just their second baserunner of the game with a Kari Mabe walk. Mabe would be replaced by Illias on first base after a fielders choice left the CU catcher on the base paths. Pinch hitting, Janelle Cristifaro poked a single through the right side, but Illias would be gunned down at third by the right fielder Rochelle Friend for the second Cavalier out. Another CU single, this time by Casey Middagh, followed by a walk generated by Tina Garcia provided the Cavs with its best run-scoring chance only to see the rally squelched by a grounder to second.
Strahm pitched six innings for the win, allowing three hits while striking out four CU batters. Brittany Miller closed the game with three strikeouts in the seventh.