PORTLAND, Ore. – Cole Bixenman hit two home runs and stole a pair of bases, giving the Linfield Wildcats ample offense to push past the Lewis & Clark Pioneers, 8-3 and 5-1, in a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep at Huston Sports Complex.

As Bixenman boosted his team-leading home run total to eight with a pair of roundtrippers in the nightcap, Linfield notched a 20th consecutive 20-win season and held tight on its grip of first place in the NWC standings.

GAME 1
Ryan Larson pitched a complete-game victory, scattering six hits and striking out three Pioneers to improve to 6-1 for the season.

Linfield tapped 11 hits, including two each from Bixenman, Eric Evenson, Kevin Allan and Tim Wilson (Jr., Redmond, Wash.).

Evenson’s two-out double to right field scored a pair of runs in the second inning and the Wildcats never trailed after that. Single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings put the visitors in front, 5-1. A seventh inning home run by Wilson, his first of the season, gave the Wildcats a 7-1 advantage.

GAME 2
Bixenman drove home four runs while belting home runs in the first and fifth innings. Dustin Smith also accounted for a pair of hits and scored three runs to help pace the Wildcats at the plate.

Pioneers’ starter Mike Hathaway limited the Wildcats to just five hits, but he surrendered four walks and registered just one strikeout. Hathaway went the distance on the mound for L&C, falling to 0-5.

Freshman righthander Zach Brandon (Jr., Cottage Grove, Ore.) earned his first pitching start for Linfield, holding the Pioneers to one run through five innings. Robert Vaughn then took over to begin the sixth inning and kept the hosts scoreless the rest of the way. Brandon improved to 2-0 in his sixth varsity appearance. Vaughan pocketed his first save of the year.

AHEAD: The Wildcats (20-6, 14-3 NWC) and Pioneers (4-25, 2-15 NWC) complete the three-game series Sunday at noon at Huston Sports Complex.