McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield pitchers Lauren Harvey, Karina Paavola (Jr., Kelso, Wash.) and Shelby VandeBergh (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) delivered a devastating 1-2-3 combination, twice sending George Fox to the canvas during a lopsided Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep Friday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.

The pitching trio combined for 16 strikeouts and matching shutouts as Linfield silenced the Bruin bats 5-0 and 14-0 in five innings.

Home runs by Jaydee Baxter and Haylie Watson (Jr., Puyallup, Wash.) raised the top-ranked Wildcats’ season total to 59 in 32 games.

Linfield (30-2, 20-2 NWC) clinched the program’s eighth consecutive 30-win season under coach Jackson Vaughan. The Wildcats also extended their current win streak to 18 games.

Despite the losses, George Fox (16-15, 11-8 NWC) remained in fourth place in the NWC standings and in thick of the hunt for a conference playoff berth.

GAME 1
Harvey struck out seven Bruins on the way to a complete-game shutout in the opener.

Harvey (13-1) surrendered six hits – all singles – and walked just one batter while holding George Fox at arm’s length throughout.

Linfield outhit George Fox 11-6, though the Bruins held the Wildcats without a home run, breaking a modest eight-game streak.

Baxter, Watson, Emilee Lepp, and Katy Brosig (Jr., Forest Grove, Ore.) each tapped two hits in Game 1. Staci Doucette and Lepp both recorded a double.

Watson hit her fifth home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning that put the Wildcats in front 3-0. Doucette’s two-run double in the sixth added the final measure of scoring for Linfield.

Felicia Chavez and Kerrianne Davidson chalked up two hits apiece for the Bruins.

GFU starter Erin Hento (6-5) took the loss, walking three Wildcats while striking out just one.

GAME 2
Six costly errors, coupled with relentless hitting by the Wildcats and Paavola’s mastery in the pitching circle, spelled doom for the Bruins.

Paavola (15-1) fanned seven Bruins while scattering three hits across four innings. VandeBergh closed out the game, striking out two Bruins in the final inning.

Baxter went 3-for-4 with a home run, her fourth of the season. Watson hit 2-for-2. Doucette drove in three runs, going 2-for-3. Lepp was 2-for-3 and scored three times.

Linfield pounded 14 hits to George Fox’s three. The Wildcats played spotless defense, completing the twinbill without being charged with an error.

COMING UP: The two teams return to Del Smith Stadium on Saturday to complete the four-game series. Action starts at noon with live internet coverage beginning about 11:50 a.m.