By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University took on Linfield University in a pair of Northwest Conference softball games on Sunday, May 5 at WU Softball Field. Linfield, ranked #2 in the NFCA Coaches Poll for NCAA Division III, defeated the Bearcats, 9-0 and 11-0, with both games ending in the fifth inning on the run rule. Linfield improved to 38-0 on the season and to 26-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 17-19 overall, 13-13 in the NWC.

The teams will meet again on Tuesday, May 7 in McMinnville, Oregon, to play the final two games in the four-game NWC series. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. PDT with the second game scheduled for 8 p.m. The games were originally scheduled for Saturday, May 4, but were postponed by the weather.

Linfield has already clinched the NWC regular season title, and the Wildcats will be hosting the 2024 NWC Softball Tournament next weekend. Willamette is fourth in the NWC standings, one-half game in front of George Fox University. The Bruins will be playing three games against Lewis & Clark College to close out the regular season.

Coller Registers Two Hits and Knapp Doubles in First Game

Faith Collar (Jr., UT, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) earned two hits for Willamette in the opener and Kendra Knapp (Grad., RF, Portland, OR/Sunset HS) added a double, but Linfield pitcher Tayah Kelley allowed just two more hits and struck out eight batters. Kelley upped her record to 23-0 on the season. Also earning one hit for Willamette were Cora Erickson (Sr., C, Issaquah, WA/Issaquah HS) and Sophia Lucio (Sr., RF, Martinez, CA/College Park HS).

The Wildcats plated four runs in the first inning, including an RBI double by Brynn Nelson and an RBI single by Jacey Leyvas. Two runs scored on a fielding error. A solo run by Cydney Hess in the second inning increased Linifeld's lead to 5-0. Linfield tacked on two runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth to complete the scoring in the 9-0 win for the Wildcats.

For Willamette, Lucio singled and stole second base in the third inning, but was thrown out at the plate on a two-out single by Collar. Knapp's double with one out in the bottom of the fourth was followed by a walk issued to Desirae Hatfield (Fy., INF, Salem, OR/South Salem HS). The runners were left on base following two strikeouts.

Jordyn Johnson (Sr., P, Winslow, AZ/Winslow HS) took the pitching loss and dropped to 5-9 on the season. She earned four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings, but allowed six hits and three walks. Jenna Hopkins (Fy., INF, Mt. Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) allowed two runs -- one earned -- in 2 1/3 innings for the Bearcats.

Pinheiro, Majors, Raymond Each Earn a Hit in Second Game

Two Linifeld pitchers limited the Bearcats to just three hits in the second game, helping the Wildcats win 11-0. Maris Pinheiro (Fy., C/OF, Tulare, CA/Tulare Union HS), Brianna Majors (Grad., SS/2B, San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS), and Harley Raymond (Jr., 1B, Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake HS/Columbia Basin College) each recorded a single for Willamette. Linfield picked up 12 hits, including a 3-for-3 performance from Claire Seats. Nelson and Sophia vanderSommen each finished with two hits for the Wildcats.

Neither team scored in the first inning. Annika Dayberrry gave Linfield a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when she pinch-ran and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Ashley Sutton. The Wildcats added five runs in the third inning, as Nelson and vandeSommen each belted a two-run homer. Nelson's was almost a foul ball, but stayed barely fair down the third base line. Hess opened the scoring in the third when she doubled with one out and scored on a double by Claire Seats.

In the fourth inning, Linfield added three runs for a 9-0 lead. Nelson hit her second home run of the game, a solo shot down the left field line. The Wildcats pushed across two more runs in the top of the fifth.

Tyler McNeley tossed the first four innings for Linfield and allowed no runs on three hits, while earning three strikeouts. Tyler Warden pitched in the fifth inning. Kenna Davis (Jr., P/3B, Alameda, CA/Alameda HS) fell to 11-7 with the loss. Hopkins pitched the final 2 1/3 innings.