Baseball News
Davis, Wildcats pummel Pacific
April 05, 2009
McMINNVILLE, Ore. - It was back to business as usual for Linfield Sunday afternoon at Roy Helser Field. The Wildcats rolled out two blowout victories over Pacific, trumping the Boxers 9-2 and 13-2 in a pair of Northwest Conference home victories.

The ‘Cats tallied 23 hits over the two games on their way to taking three of four games in the weekend series.

Linfield improves to 23-5 and 17-3 in the NWC. Pacific slips to 14-15 overall and 11-13 in the NWC.

GAME 1
Linfield used a pair of big innings to break open a close game. Leading 1-0 after 4 1/2 innings, the Wildcats scored four runs in each of the next two frames to build an 8-1 advantage.

Ty Stanley opened the fourth with a single before Tyson Smith (Sr., Dallas, Ore.) and Eric Evenson (Jr., Corvallis, Ore.) reached base to load the bases. After Smith scored on a single by Dustin Smith (Jr., Talent, Ore.), Stew Davis picked up a pair of RBIs coming on double down the right-field line.

After Pacific answered with a run in the top of the fifth, Linfield went back to work. The Wildcats scored four runs in the inning with just one hit. The Boxers helped out the Wildcats with multiple walks, an error, a balk and a wild pitch.

Reese McCulley (Sr., Salem, Ore.) (5-0) turned in a fabulous pitching performance for the ‘Cats. The junior right-hander went the distance, giving up just two runs and striking out six Boxers.

Pacific starter Dan Wolfe took the loss to fall to 1-5.

GAME 2
Four continued to be the magic number for the ‘Cats in the nightcap. Linfield scored four runs in three separate innings to take a convincing 13-2 win.

While the ‘Cats used a variety of ways to score runs, they highlighted the afternoon with the long ball.

With the score tied at 1, Linfield got things going in the bottom of the third. Ty Smith and Evenson got things going with singles. Dustin Smith finished the job with a two-run single. With two runs already in, Davis delivered the big blow with a two-run home run.

Pacific hung tough with a run in the top of the fourth to make it 5-2, but it was the Linfield half of the fifth inning that assured the outcome.

Don Bard, Rhett Fenton (Sr., Bellingham, Wash.) and Davis drove out homers to put Linfield ahead 9-2. The ‘Cats piled on four more runs in the final frame before closing the door shut in the seventh.

Garrett Dorn (Sr., Wenatchee, Wash.) set the tone on the mound with a complete game victory. Dorn improved to 3-1, allowing seven hits and a pair of walks while striking out three Boxers.

Davis paced the Wildcats by going 2-for-3, knocking in four runs and scoring twice. Kevin Schwartz went 2-for-3 and drove in a run to pave the way for Pacific.

NEXT: Linfield hits the road to Portland on Friday for a NWC tussle at Lewis & Clark. Action starts at noon.