The softball team had 12 members receive conference honors for this season.

Senior third baseman Karleigh Prestianni received Northwest Conference Player of the Year and junior Karina Paavola was selected as NWC
Pitcher of the Year.  They also received first team honors. This is Prestianni’s fourth time being honored as first team.

Paavola was selected three times this season as NWC Pitcher of the Week

Juniors second baseman Ashley Garcia, pitcher Shelby VandeBergh, sophomores outfielders Erin Carson, Grace Middelstadt and utility Lisa Yamamoto were also selected to join Prestianni and Paavola on first team.

This is the second first team honors for Garcia. For Carson, this is her first year starting and being selected for the all-star team.

Sophomores catcher Mckenna Spieth and pitcher Montana McNealy received second team honors.

Honorable mentions went to juniors shortstop Katy Brosig and first baseman Haylie Watson and senior outfielder Megan Wallo.

This is the second mention for Brosig. Watson received second team honors in 2012.

Head coach Jackson Vaughan was selected NWC Coach of the Year for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons.

VandeBergh was also selected to be on the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District 8 Softball Team.

The finance and business major has a 3.86 cumulative grade point average.

Ivanna Tucker/Sports editor

Ivanna Tucker can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

Dirt or polyurethane, the surface doesn’t matter for the Wildcats’ distance runner senior Emily Zegar.

Prior to her senior spring semester, Zegar had solely been a cross country runner for the Wildcats.

Improving each year, Zegar qualified for the district meet in the fall of 2012, where the Wildcats placed fourth in the eight-team meet. Zegar finished 54th overall, with a time of 24:49.

“Our women’s team just didn’t pull it together as well as we could have,” Zegar said.

With her success in cross country in the fall, Zegar attempted something she had not done since her days at Sprague High School. She started running track.

“There are differences between the two,” Zegar said. “In cross country you run a set distance. In track, however, there are multiple races to compete in.”

“[A] huge difference between the two, one that I didn’t think I would like, is that in track you know exactly how fast you’re going every lap. You know if you’re speeding up or slowing down and you can compare each week’s race with the past week’s. In cross country, however, every race is different because the terrain and courses are all unique from one another.”

Running the “dead dog” workouts and finishing the optional two miles at the end, the team drives out early in the morning in vans to run up hills of
gravel roads.

“I was so relieved to reach the yellow gate where some of my teammates were cheering me on to finish—it was probably one of the best running highs ever,” Zegar said.

Carrying over her success from the fall, Zegar was able to qualify for the Northwest Conference Championships in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races.

Zegar saved her best performance for last in the 10,000-meter. The senior ran the race in 41:31.31, setting a new personal record and finishing 17th.

Zegar also set a personal record earlier in the 2013 track season in the 5,000-meter, running a 18:58, breaking her 20-minute goal.

“This year was my break through year. I really discovered how to tap into what drives me as a runner, and grew a lot stronger as an athlete,” Zegar said.

Concluding her athletic career at Linfield, Zegar has a lot to reminisce about.

“I have truly loved being able to be a part of the distance team at Linfield. I’ve created life-long friendships with such hardworking people who I can share the deep bond of running with, Zegar said.

“It has been a lot of hard work and required a lot of commitment, not to mention taxing on my body, but it has definitely been one of the best decisions I have made at Linfield.”

Chris Haddeland/Senior reporter

Chris Haddeland can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

Are you having trouble focusing lately?

The weather is lovely, classwork is piling up and you need to squeeze as much fun out of what time is left with your friends.

Unfortunately, Linfield students, our baseball and softball teams are not going to help you focus. Both teams begin regionals in the next week and a half—softball on May 9 and baseball on May 15—and you will not want to look away.

How come? Well, Linfield has two amazing programs. Linfield baseball is number one in the country, while Linfield softball is number six in the country.

Baseball is looking to reach the NCAA tournament, and softball is looking to return to the Division III championship game for the fourth year in a row.

That’s right, the fourth year in a row. This has only happened once in the 31-year history of Division III softball when The College of New Jersey reached the championship game four times from 1982-85. Linfield students, we could possibly witness history being made.

Two of the best pitchers in the country—juniors Karina Paavola (22-2, 1.81 ERA) and Shelby VandeBergh (12-3, 2.12 ERA)—anchor the rotation, while the lineup was by far the best in the NWC, with a slash line of .361/.425/.564. Seniors Karleigh Prestianni, Rachelle Ridout and Megan Wallo could amazingly advance to the finals in every single year of their career. The softball team—and the rest of the Division III softball teams—discovers their fate with the announcement of Regional brackets today.

As for baseball, the team narrowly missed advancing to the NCAA tournament in 2011. The sting still remains for the players who were a part of the team.

“It’s nice to see that all of the hard work…paid off. What would mean more…is making a run at a championship and bringing back some hardware from Texas,” senior Tim Wilson said.

But the baseball team has a good chance to break through the regional barrier this year. With three of the best pitchers on the West Coast—sophomores Chris Haddeland and Aaron Thomassen and junior Zach Brandon—the pitching staff is excellent. Wilson and juniors Jake Wylie, Kramer Lindell and Nick Fisher have raked all year with cartoon-like OPS numbers of 1.057, 1.055, 1.134 and 1.076. Plus, excellent senior leadership and solid play have come from Nate McClellan, Jordan Harlow and Kyle Chamberlain.

Linfield students have been spoiled all year with fantastic baseball and softball. Now, when everyone is busy and trying to remain focused, the teams are rounding third and heading into the home stretch.

Good luck with focusing on everything. These two teams will make it difficult to look away.

Tyler Bradley/Sports columnist

Tyler Bradley can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

His baseball career began in kindergarten when his parents tossed wiffle balls to him, swinging a large plastic bat that was as tall as he was.

Sophomore Aaron Thomassen now sports #42 from the pitcher’s mound for the Linfield baseball team. At a young age, his father told him he could be a good ballplayer if he committed himself and put extra effort in to improve his game.

“Baseball is very different because it is a game where failure occurs more often than success,” Thomassen said. “The game forces me to deal with not always getting my way and has taught me leadership on and off the field. I know my actions can affect others so I’ve learned to tame some of my emotions.”

Thomassen enjoys Linfield baseball because it is a collective effort to succeed. He says baseball does not rely on one person to get the win, and it is a game that is usually won by multiple players.

“At Linfield, baseball is all about the team,” he said. “We know we have talent from the returning players, but we have witnessed that talent does not always win games. We have strong leadership from the upperclassmen and underclassmen who want to compete for positions. The team chemistry this year is unlike any other team I’ve played for. We compete with one another while still having fun, and we all expect to win.”

As a pitcher, Thomassen feels he can control the game and help his team succeed.

“Baseball is a game of momentum,” he said. “If I can control the other team’s momentum, it gives my team a better shot of winning. I’m a pretty high energy guy when I’m pitching, so if I get out of a tough situation, I generally won’t hold back my excitement.”

Thomassen says success never gets old, and he enjoys sharing the team’s accomplishments with his supportive family and friends.

“I’m looking forward to a couple more dog-piles, hopefully,” he said. “Surprisingly, they never get old.”

Aside from his teammates, Thomassen shares his baseball success with friends and family. He shares a unique bond with his grandmother, Joelle, who pays close attention to the team’s stats and conference standings.

This summer he will play baseball for the Fort Collins Foxes in Fort Collins, Colo., in preparation for next season.

“I enjoy playing baseball because their is a feeling unlike any other feeling when you succeed in sports,” Thomassen said. “For me, the sport is baseball, and I have always cherished succeeding with my teammates. Nothing gives me the drive to succeed as much as baseball does.” 

Sarah Mason/Features editor

Sarah Mason can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.com.

In hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, the track and field team competed at the Oregon Twilight and Pacific Twilight on May 3 and 4.

At the Oregon Twilight Meet, sophomore Halsie Peek finished fourth in the first section of the 100-meter with 12.71 seconds.

“Being that it was potentially my last meet, my main goal was to just go out and enjoy my last time racing,” Peek said. “I didn’t run any PR’s or do anything too exciting so it was just a normal day on the track, but the atmosphere of the University of Oregon is something to be valued.”

Senior Melany Crocker finished in seventh in the second section with 12.77 seconds. Crocker also finished seventh in the 200-meter with 26.29 seconds.

Junior Anna LeBeaume got ninth in the hammer throw, throwing 48.53 meters.

Senior Lester Maxwell finished in ninth as well in the 800-meter with a minute, 55.12 seconds.

At the Pacific Twilight Meet, senior Jill Boroughs finished ninth in the 5,000-meter run, with 19 minutes, 31.47 seconds.

Freshman Morgunn Ewing finished fifth in javelin. Ewing threw 54.25 meters.

The Wildcats will next compete at the George Fox Final Qualifier on May 17. This will be their last opportunity to qualify for the national championships.

Ivanna Tucker/Sports editor

Ivanna Tucker can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

The Linfield baseball team discovered that runs scored are as prevalent in Lewiston, Idaho as wineries are in the Willamette Valley.

The ‘Cats finished their regular season at the Inland Cellular Tournament on May 4 and 5 in Lewiston, Idaho by breaking the scoreboard. They dispatched Pacific Lutheran and Whitworth 7-3 and 14-5, respectively, while getting slaughtered 20-8 against tough NAIA opponent Lewis-Clark State.

Senior Tim Wilson added another milestone to his amazing career during Saturday’s doubleheader, swiping four bases to bring his career total to 68. He is now the Linfield record holder.

In game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, junior Jake Wylie launched his seventh home run of the season — a grand slam — and added a double and another RBI as well. He continued to rake in game two, going 2-4 with a run scored.

“The tournament was fun,” Wylie said.

Sophomore Chris Haddeland (11-1, 1.16 ERA) continued his dominant season, firing seven innings of scoreless ball. He gave up just one hit and two walks, while striking out six.

Game two was a demolition, but for once, Linfield took the beating.

Sophomore Aaron Thomassen (10-1, 2.67 ERA), one of the best pitchers in Division III all season, was lit up for 10 earned runs on nine hits and three walks. With the outing, his ERA ballooned from 1.51 to 2.67.

The bullpen did not do much better, with sophomores Joseph Stevick and Garrett Miller combining for nine runs, eight earned, on 12 hits and one walk. Senior Kenny Johnson, backup shortstop, completed the final inning, giving up one run.

Despite the pitching woes, the offense did put up eight runs on the board. Highlighted by a home run from junior Clayton Truex—who went 2-2 with three RBI—and a 3-5 day from junior Nick Fisher.

“It was a different experience than we are used to…it’s something that we remember but also move on from to our ultimate goal and keep winning,” Wylie said when asked about the loss.

Game three was a 14-5 Linfield victory against Whitworth.

Wilson went 4-6 with three RBI, and senior catcher Kyle Chamberlain crushed a two-run home run as a part of a 3-4 day with three runs scored and three RBI. Fisher added three RBI and Johnson also added three hits.

Junior Zach Brandon gave up five earned runs in five and 2/3 innings but still picked up his seventh victory of the season. Junior Justin Huckins picked up a long save—his seventh of the season—of three and 1/3 innings while striking out two.

Sophomore shortstop Corey VanDomelen also hit a triple during the game.

The ‘Cats carry their number one Division III ranking into a week off. On May 15th, Division III regionals begin, and the ‘Cats are looking forward to the day.

“We just need to keep focused and keep having great practices like we have done all season. We just need to stay sharp,” Wylie said.

Tyler Bradley/Sports columnist

Tyler Bradley can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), in conjunction with the Athletic Training programs, hosted a 5K benefit run to raise funds for a Wildcat athlete who has brain cancer May 5.

Approximately 70 people came out between the competitive run and the fun run/walk.

Participants included Linfield cross-country runners and members from the Linfield and McMinnville communities, said Katherine Brackman, sports information and marketing assistant at Linfield, in an email.

The SAAC raised about $720, although more donations are on their way in from individuals who weren’t able to attend the event, Brackman added.

This money will be combined with the $617 collected during the SAAC’s coin drive that took place this past basketball season, she said.

“This was an extremely fun event to plan for a very worthy cause,” Brackman said in an email.

Individuals could pay $10 for one or $17 for two to run.

The 5K featured two options, a competitive timed race and a fun run/walk.

The run/walk led participants from the Oak Grove down Founders Way to Cowls and Lever streets, around the Wellness Trail to the front of the library, down Renshaw Avenue to Linfield Avenue and back to Founders Way to the I.M. field, said junior Courtney Alley, one of the event’s organizers.

“I was really excited about the event. A good amount of people showed up and some came by just to donate money,” Alley said.

Alley said that the SAAC is waiting to present the money to the student-athlete until a large enough sum has been collected.

The committee is also talking about having a T-shirt sale in the fall during football games, Alley said.

Jessica Prokop/Editor-in-chief

Jessica Prokop can be reached at linfieldrevieweditor@gmail.com.