Game 1: Whitworth 2, Linfield 0 (Complete box and play by play)
Game 2: Linfield 2, Whitworth 1 (Complete box and play by play)

2006 Northwest Conference Standings

Heather Case hit her fifth HR of the year

McMinnville, Ore. - (From Kelly Bird, Linfield SID) Doing little to decide the Northwest Conference championship, contenders Whitworth and Linfield divided their doubleheader Saturday at the Linfield diamond.

Whitworth cashed in a two-run homer by Heather Case to take the first game 2-0, but Linfield answered with a game-winning RBI by Jenny Marshall in the bottom of the seventh for a 2-1 Wildcats' victory in Game 2.

The Pirates (25-11, 20-6 NWC) halted Linfield's winning streak at nine, but more importantly, put themselves in position to win the school's first conference softball title with a sweep of a scheduled twinbill on Sunday. Linfield (28-7, 21-5 NWC) needs only a split on Sunday to claim its third straight conference crown, and with it, the NWC's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

GAME 1
Jo Sonnett pitched a complete-game shutout and Case blasted her fifth home run of the season, carrying the Pirates past Linfield in the opener.

Sonnett fanned eight Wildcats and held the NWC's leading offensive team to four hits.

The game was a pitcher's duel, with the exception of the third inning, when Case lofted a two-out, two-run homer over the left-center field fence. Case drove home Jodi Schock, who was one base after a fielder's choice. The lead would stand as the Wildcats failed to get the clutch hits they needed to draw even.

Linfield starter Kendra Strahm pitched the entire game, twice working her way out of jams in the sixth and seventh frames to keep the Wildcats within reach. Strahm struck out four and walked a pair, allowing six hits.

Marshall, Stephanie Rice, Meredith Brunette and Jena Loop picked up hits for Linfield. Case finished 2-for-3 and Sarah Froman had a pair of hits to lead the Pirates.

GAME 2
Linfield freshman Brittany Miller struck out eight batters and handcuffed the Pirates for three hits. Miller raised her record to 11-1.

Marshall, who went 2-for-4 in the game, drove home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, ending a quick one-hour, 15-minute contest.

Lisa Smith led off the Linfield seventh with a double and Rice tapped a sacrifice to move Smith to second, setting the stage for Marshall's game-winning hit. Smith finished 2-for-3.

In the first inning, Marshall singled then scored unearned for a quick 1-0 Wildcats lead. The Pirates scored an unearned run of their own in the second. Mandee Edwards singled and Sara Rylaarsdam scored from third on the throw.

Jennifer Eckoff took the loss for Whitworth, falling to 7-5. Eckoff gave up eight hits without a walk and struck out three.

The teams will complete the regular season on Sunday with another doubleheader in McMinnville.