Linfield secures sixth NWC title

April 25, 2009

SALEM, Ore. - All-America pitcher Brittany Miller (Sr., Port Orchard, Wash.) struck out 16 batters and freshman Emilee Lepp (Fr., Colville, Wash.) connected on two home runs to carry second-ranked Linfield past No. 10 Willamette in a key Northwest Conference showdown at the WU softball field.

The defending champion Wildcats, winners of 18 of their last 19 games, clinched their sixth consecutive conference title with the bookend victories as well as the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs.

GAME 1
Miller was her usual remarkable self, striking out 13 Bearcats while giving up just two hits and no walks. She pitched the entire seven innings to earn her 13th win of the season.

Lepp provided all the scoring Linfield would need in the first inning. Facing WU ace Nikki Franchi, the freshman belted her seventh home run of the season in her first at-bat of the game. The Wildcats made it 2-0 in the second inning when Candice Fujino (Jr., Kealakekua, Hawaii) got ahold of a Franchi pitch and sent it over the left-field fence.

Linfield added an insurance run in the sixth after Lepp doubled, then scored on a deep ball sent to the outfield by Staci Doucette (Fr., Vancouver, Wash.) was mishandled.

GAME 2
A tight game turned into a rout as the Wildcats blew past the Bearcats with a seven-run explosion in the seventh.

Taking advantage of three WU errors, Linfield jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Wildcats made it 5-0 with a pair of unearned runs in the third. Willamette inched back with two runs in the third and single tallies in the fourth, fifth and sixth stanzas that pulled the hosts to within 6-5.

Run-scoring hits by Natalie Taylor (Soph., Tualatin, Ore.), Fujino and Jaydee Baxter (Fr., Damascus, Ore.) put Linfield back in contol. Then Lepp came to the plate and delivered a three-run homer and Doucette provided the final margin with her team-leading 11th home run of the season.

Lepp and Fujino each went 3 for 4 in the game and Baxter was 3 for 5.

Four different pitchers saw action for Linfield, including Miller, who struck out three of the Bearcats’ final four batters. Starter Samantha Van Noy (Jr., Sherwood, Ore.) earned the win to improve to 6-0 for the season.

Alex Watilo (13-3) suffered the loss for Willamette.

With the sweep, Linfield moved to 35-3 overall and 25-1 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 28-5 and 25-5 in conference play.

NEXT: The teams close out the regular season and the four-game set Sunday with a noon doublehader at the Linfield diamond. Prior to the games, the Wildcats will salute graduating seniors Miller and Kendra Strahm (Sr., Medford, Ore.), who together have combined for 116 victories over four seasons together.

Emilee Lepp
2 home runs among 4 hits