Wildcats, Bearcats trade punches

April 26, 2009

McMINNVILLE,
Ore. - A matchup of nationally ranked softball programs proved worthy of its pre-game
build-up as No. 2 Linfield and 10th-ranked Willamette traded knockout jabs Sunday
before a packed grandstand at the Linfield diamond.



Willamette rode the arm and bat of All-America utility Nikki Franchi to a 2-0
victory in the opener, but Linfield emerged from a three-run deficit to hand the
Bearcats a 5-3 loss in the second game of the Northwest Conference twinbill.


Linfield wrapped up the regular season at 36-4 overall and 26-2 in the NWC, equaling
high-water conference win-loss records established by the 2004 and 2007 squads.
Willamette, also enjoying one of its best seasons on record, concluded the regular
season at 29-6 and 22-6 in the NWC.


The games marked the final home contests for graduating seniors Brittany Miller (Sr., Port Orchard, Wash.)
and Kendra Strahm (Sr., Medford, Ore.). The two all-star pitchers were honored in special ceremonies
before Sunday’s first pitch.


GAME
1

All-Americans Miller and Franchi waged an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel in
the opener.



The scoreboard displayed all zeros until the decisive seventh inning. Miller issued
a walk to Marissa Richards with one out, then watched as Franchi broke up the
bid for no-hitter with a high-arching blast over the center-field wall that provided
the only runs of the game.


Franchi and the WU defense held the Wildcats in check through the one-hour, 40-minute
contest. Kayla Hubrich (Soph., Hillsboro, Ore.), the No. 9 batter, managed Linfield’s lone hit, a
single up the middle in the third inning.


Franchi walked four Wildcats and struck out three to improve to 16-1 in the circle.


Miller absorbed the loss to fall to 13-2. The senior righthander went 6 1/3 innings,
fanning eight Bearcats on her way to surpassing the 600-strikeout plateau.


GAME
2

Lauren Harvey (Fr., Milwaukie, Ore.) pitched a three-hitter in her starting debut and a two-run single
from Natalie Taylor (Soph., Tualatin, Ore.) in the fifth inning provided the difference that enabled the
Wildcats to clinch their third win in the four-game series.



The Bearcats used a fielder’s choice, an error and a sacrifice fly by Franchi
to grab a 3-0 advantage in the third inning. Linfield closed the gap to 3-2 in
the bottom of the frame when Emilee Lepp (Fr., Colville, Wash.) pounded a Alex Watilo pitch deep to center
field, sending home Jaydee Baxter (Fr., Damascus, Ore.) and Natalie Taylor (Soph., Tualatin, Ore.).


Linfield loaded the bases in the fourth on Franchi, who relieved Watilo with one
out recorded. Franchi then hit Baxter with a pitch, forcing home Alex Hartmann (Soph., Medina, Wash.)
to knot the game at 3.


In the fifth, Taylor singled to left field off Franchi, allowing Lepp and Staci
Doucette to score.


Harvey went the full seven innings, walking three WU batters and striking out
just one. But the freshman righthander from Milwaukie, Ore., remained poised despite
falling into an early deficit.


Lepp went 2 for 4 to pace Linfield’s six-hit attack.


COMING UP: Having secured the NWC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division
III playoffs, the Wildcats must wait to learn their destination and first-round
opponent in the upcoming regional playoffs. The full playoff field will be announced
Monday, May 4, at 8 a.m. Pacific time via a video Webcast on NCAA.com. The regional
playoffs, hosted at eight on-campus sites, are scheduled for May 7-11.

Lauren Harvey
Earns win in starting debut