McMinnville, Ore. - (From Linfield Sports Information Office) Whitworth lost a heartbreaker to defending Northwest Conference champion Linfield in the opener of a baseball doubleheader on Sunday at Helser Field, then the Wildcats took it to the Pirates in the nightcap. The scores were 6-5 and 11-1.

Belet (above) and Ramsay drove in all six Pirate runs on Sunday

GAME 1: Linfield 6, Whitworth 5 - Complete box score

In the first game of the day, Linfield jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before needing a ninth inning sacrifice fly to earn the win.

The Wildcats tallied two runs in each of the first two frames. Cole Bixenman got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first, before scoring on a double-steal later in the inning. Leading 2-0 going into the second inning, Linfield was able to piece together a two-out rally. With two men out Tyson Smith kept the inning alive with an infield single. After stealing second, Smith would come around to score on an Eric Evenson RBI single. Evenson would later score on a wild pitch.

The Pirates answered with scores in the second and third inning on RBI singles by Dan Belet and Mitch Ramsay, but the bulk of their work would come in the fourth.

Trailing 5-2, Whitworth loaded the bases with one out in the inning. Belet came through with the big hit, knocking in two runs to bring the Pirates within one. Belet paced the Pirates with a 3-for-5 day with 3 RBI. Following a Garett Dorn strikout, Ramsay clutched up and served a base hit into right field to plate the tying run.

With the score tied at five, both offensives went cold. Peter Birdwell settled in, holding the ‘Cats at bay over the next four innings. Dorn pitched six innings before Ryan Larson came in to pitch at the start of the seventh inning.

After being shutout for four straight innings, Linfield came through when it mattered most. Tied at five in the ninth, Evenson got things going with a leadoff walk. The walk brought a close to Birdwell’s afternoon and brought Dustin Smith to the plate. Smith put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Evenson, then Bixenmann followed up with a blooper into right field to put runners on second and third with one out. Davis answered the bell with a sac fly down the left field line.

Larson finished the deal with a scoreless bottom of the ninth to pick up the win. Birdwell was the hard-luck losing pitcher.

GAME 2: Linfield 11, Whitworth 1 - Complete box score

With a tough win under its belt, Linfield left nothing to chance in game-two. The Wildcats put up a four-spot in the top of the first, on their way to a 9-0 lead through four innings of play.

Don Bard doubled to center field to score the Linfield’s first three runs of the day and the ‘Cats never looked back from there. Cameron Larson was spectacular on the mound, giving up one run in six innings of work. The senior righthander scattered three hits and stuckout five.

Ramsay doubled home Belet in the fourth inning for the Pirates' only run.

Notes: The two clubs are schedule to complete the four-game series on Monday morning at 10 a.m. with a pair of seven-inning contests. The series was originally scheduled to be played in Spokane, but was moved to McMinnville because of weather.