CLAREMONT, Calif. – Claire Velaski earned two wins – one in a starting role and the other in relief – and the No. 1-ranked Linfield Wildcats swept Pomona-Pitzer 7-0 and 5-2 in a nonconference twinbill Thursday at the Sagehens’ field.

Velaski struck out 12 Pomona-Pitzer batters in seven combined innings. The reigning Northwest Conference Pitcher of the Year tossed the first four innings of the opener, then relieved fellow all-star Lauren Harvey in the nightcap to close out the upset-minded Sagehens.

GAME 1
Staci Doucette and Karleigh Prestianni (Sr., Grants Pass, Ore.) each homered, part of an 11-hit Linfield onslaught that saw the Wildcats grab a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Doucette went 3-for-3, Prestianni was 2-for-4 and Alex Hartmann contributed a pair of hits for the Wildcats.

Velaski fanned seven Sagehens and allowed the hosts one hit across the first four innings before turning the game over to Karina Paavola (Jr., Kelso, Wash.). The freshman righthander closed with five strikeouts over three frames, surrendering three hits and a walk.

GAME 2
Pomona-Pitzer scored a pair of runs in the second stanza to take a 2-0 advantage before Linfield seized command with a three-run sixth inning. Linfield added two more runs in the seventh to turn the tide for good. Wildcats All-American Emilee Lepp hit back-to-back home runs in the final two frames, and Sami Keim delivered a game-winning two-run double in the sixth.

Harvey, the Linfield starter, gave up seven hits while striking out two over the game’s first three innings. Velaski relieved Harvey to begin the fourth inning, limiting the ‘Hens to just one hit the rest of the way.

Hartmann was 2-for-3, helping the Wildcats pile up nine hits.

Lepp raised her season home run total to six and now shares team-high honors in that statistical category. In all, the ‘Cats have hit 25 homers in just 11 games this spring.

NEXT: In the midst of a 10-game spring break trip to Southern California, the Wildcats won’t need to travel far for their next competition, just across the street in fact. Friday afternoon, Linfield faces Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, whose campus adjoins Pomona-Pitzer’s.