TACOMA, Wash. – Sixteenth-ranked Linfield snapped a two-game losing streak and moved into third place in the Northwest Conference standings with two victories over Puget Sound Sunday afternoon at the UPS Field.

Not deterred by the schedule change due to poor weather conditions in Tacoma on Saturday, the Wildcats (15-7, 12-5 NWC) twice defeated the Loggers (4-21-1, 1-11 NWC) by the scores of 8-3 and 4-1.

Game 1
The Wildcats found success with the long ball early on. Nick Fisher (Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) opened up the scoring in the top of the second with a solo home run, his second roundtripper of the year. Tim Wilson (Jr., Redmond, Wash.) followed up with a double to center field and reached home on an RBI single by Jordan Harlow (Sr., Baker City, Ore.).

The Loggers took advantage of a defensive miscue in the third frame to earn their only run of the game. Jake Boley singled to left field and stole second. With two outs recorded in the inning, Will Mentor reached first on an error, a play that also cost the Wildcats a run when Boley crossed home.

Though their lead was hardly threatened with starter Ryan Larson in solid command on the mound, the ‘Cats added two insurance runs in the fifth and eighth innings.

Wilson drew a walk and advanced to second on Harlow’s sacrifice bunt. Kramer Lindell (Jr., West Linn, Ore.) came up with his seventh double of the year, this one down the right field line, to plate Wilson.

In the top of the eighth frame, a pair of Puget Sound fielding errors allowed Zach Boskovich to score after initially reaching base on a single through the left side.

Larson earned the win, tallying five strikeouts against two walks in seven complete innings of work. Robert Vaughn threw two hitless innings in relief to earn the save, his first of the season.

Matt Robinson went nearly the entire game for the Loggers, pitching eight full innings. He tallied six strikeouts on the afternoon but also gave up three earned runs.

Linfield notched eight hits to Puget Sound’s four. Aside from Boley, only three Loggers recorded hits: Connor Savage, Casey Coberly and Will Mentor.

Game 2
Facing a 2-1 deficit after three innings, the ‘Cats posted a huge seven-run rally over the fifth and sixth frames to blow the game open and assure themselves of a series win.

Beginning with a Kenny Johnson (Jr., Federal Way, Wash.) single, Linfield strung together five straight hits followed by a drawn walk to score three runs and claim a 4-2 advantage. Puget Sound stopped the bleeding by replacing starting pitcher Nathan Aguiar with Taylor Volz, who coaxed the first batter he faced into a double play and then struck out the next.

But the ‘Cats stretched their hot streak into the next inning, quickly turning four hits into four more runs. Boskovich highlighted the scoring outburst with a double to right field that scored two runners.

Defensively, Zach Manley (Sr., Coburg, Ore.) recorded a season-high nine strikeouts over six innings to pick up his second win of the year. Justin Huckins (Jr., Bend, Ore.) pitched three innings in relief.

Fisher got the ‘Cats started in the second inning with an RBI double that brought home Kyle Chamberlain (Sr., Portland, Ore.).

The Loggers quickly responded, tying the score on an RBI single from Kaulana Smith. One inning later, Puget Sound took its first lead of the day when Lucas Stone, who had reached base on a Linfield fielding error, scored on a wild pitch.

COMING UP: Linfield looks to complete the series sweep Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.