McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Erin Carson (Soph., Camas, Wash.) and Ashley Garcia (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) combined for nine hits, including four doubles, to boost the ninth-ranked Linfield Wildcats to matching Northwest Conference shutouts of the Puget Sound Loggers Friday afternoon at Del Smith Stadium.

Winning 7-0 and 9-0 in five innings, the Wildcats moved to 20-9 for the season and 12-2 in the conference to remain in sole possession of first place. The second game was shortened by the eight-run rule.

The Loggers remained winless, dropping to 0-25 overall, 0-14 in the NWC.

Karina Paavola (Jr., Kelso, Wash.) and Shelby VandeBergh (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) provided an effective 1-2 punch from the pitching circle, each holding UPS without a hit for five innings.

GAME 1
Carson went 3 for 3 and drove in a couple of runs and Paavola struck out seven Loggers as the ‘Cats notched a methodical victory in the opener.

Linfield plated three runs in the first inning, then added single runs in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Grace Middelstadt (Soph., Battle Ground, Wash.) and Garcia each contributed two hits as the Wildcats outhit the Loggers 9-2.

Paavola walked her first two batters but settled into a groove after that, holding UPS without a hit through five innings before turning the game over to reliever Maddy Dunn (Fr., Lake Oswego, Ore.).

The Loggers' best chance to score came in the top of the first inning. But with runners at first and third with one out, Amy Schmeckpeper was gunned down at the plate on a fielder’s choice. Paavola then struck out Shannon Reed to end the inning.

Middelstadt, the Wildcats’ leadoff hitter, scored the game’s initial run in the bottom of the first when an errant throw to second base dribbled to the outfield. Karleigh Prestianni (Sr., Grants Pass, Ore.) made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Megan Wallo (Sr., Aloha, Ore.). A run-scoring single by Carson pushed home another run and the Wildcats were off to the races with the game just 18 minutes old.

Paavola improved to 11-2 for the season. Dunn struck out one batter and surrendered a couple of hits.

Megan Campbell (0-15) went the distance in the circle for UPS. She walked two and struck out one Wildcat. UPS was shaky defensively, registering five errors.

GAME 2
VandeBergh kept UPS hitless across five innings and the Wildcats cashed in three bases-loaded walks on the way to their second shutout of the day and 10th of the season.

VandeBergh fanned five Loggers while conceding just a single walk to improve to 9-2.

Wildcats slugger Lisa Yamamoto (Soph., Carson City, Nev.) led off the second inning with a triple to the right-field corner, then Garcia drilled a chopper past first baseman Shannon Reed, scoring Yamamoto.

Prestianni popped a sacrifice to right field in the third before the Wildcats delivered a seven-run knockout punch in the fourth. Campbell gave up three consecutive singles to load the bases, then issued a bevy of balls to walk home three more runs. Doubles by Garcia and Carson provided the final scoring.

Garcia, Carson and Katy Brosig (Jr., Forest Grove, Ore.) all had two hits. Prestianni and Garcia both added a pair of RBI to raise their season totals of 29 and 23, respectively.

Campbell was saddled with her 16th loss, giving up nine hits and five walks in four innings.

‘CAT SCRATCH: With the sweep, the Wildcats achieved the program’s 18th straight 20-win season . . . VandeBergh recorded her second no-hitter of the year, the other coming two weeks ago against Lewis & Clark. . . Paavola earned her ninth career pitching shutout. . . VandeBergh picked up her 12th career victory. . . Prestianni started her 164th career game at third base.

NEXT: Linfield hosts NWC rival and defending NCAA champion Pacific Lutheran Saturday at noon in a rematch of last year’s Division III championship final. Three seniors – Prestianni, Wallo and Rachelle Ridout (Sr., Montesano, Wash.) will be honored in pregame ceremonies starting at approximately 11:50 a.m.