ORANGE, Calif. – All-American Emilee Lepp hammered two triples – setting the Linfield career record in the process – and had three other base hits, boosting the top-ranked Linfield Wildcats to back-to-back shutouts of regional rival Chapman Friday evening at El Camino Real Park. The scores were 7-0 and 8-0 with the nightcap halted in the sixth inning by the eight-run rule.

Posting a third-straight shutout in the midst of a 10-game tour of southern California, Linfield raised its season record to 20-2. Once regarded as Linfield’s fiercest West Region rival, Chapman dropped to 15-8.

Lepp went 5-for-8 in the two games, drove in four runs, scored three times and stole a pair of bases.

Wildcat pitchers Lauren Harvey and Karina Paavola (Jr., Kelso, Wash.) collected matching complete-game shutouts, together striking out 13 batters.

GAME 1
Harvey pitched her second shutout of 2012, scattering seven hits without allowing a walk. She struck out three Panthers on the way to her 10th victory of the season.

Wildcats slugger Staci Doucette homered in the top of the first inning, a two-out blast over the left-field wall that gave Linfield a quick 2-0 lead.

In the third, Lepp tripled to lead off the inning, then later scored on a fielding error by shortstop Kyla Javier. After Doucette drew a walk, pinch runner Kate Hasty stole second, then moved to third on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly by Ashley Garcia (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) allowed Hasty to score and the Wildcats led 4-0.

The Wildcats plated three more runs in the fourth. With two runners on base, Lepp sent a ball deep to the outfield for a single, then capitalized on an error by center fielder Andrena Calix to score all the way from first base.

The Panthers put two runners on base with consecutive singles in the sixth, but Harvey struck out Javier looking to end the threat.

Lepp went 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in two runs, Haylie Watson (Jr., Puyallup, Wash.) and Katy Brosig (Jr., Forest Grove, Ore.) each tapped a pair of hits.

GAME 2

Paavola twirled an eight-strikeout, two-hit shutout, and Lepp had three hits, including the record-breaking triple, as the Wildcats showed no letup from their opening-game victory.

The flame-throwing sophomore raised her season record to 10-1 while notching her third shutout victory of the season.

Jaydee Baxter hit two doubles and drove in a pair of runs as Linfield piled up nine hits. Ashley Garcia (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) also provided a pair of base hits.

The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead in the third inning, added two more in the fourth, then put the Panthers away with a three-run burst in the sixth.

‘CAT SCRATCH: Harvey moved into a tie for No. 5 on Linfield’s career pitching victories ladder. . . she improved to 44-3 in the circle, equaling the 44 wins of Michelle Morris (2003-05). . . Doucette hit her 10th home run of the season and 63rd of her career. . . Lepp added to an already long list of milestones with her record-breaking 12th career triple, taking over the top spot from graduated all-star Errin Neufeld (1995-98). . . Lepp also moved into a tie with former Wildcats All-American Shelly (Steinke) Vaughan (2003-06) for most career at-bats (585). . . the Wildcats have now won eight straight games over Chapman.

COMING UP: After a taking Saturday off recreation, the Wildcats head to to Claremont in the northeast corner of the Los Angeles basin where they’ll face Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (15-5) in a doubleheader Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.