SPOKANE, Wash. – Linfield rode its torrid hitting to a Northwest Conference softball sweep of Whitworth on Thursday, pounding out 32 hits and 27 runs to win 13-0 in the first game and 14-2 in the second.

The sixth-ranked Wildcats improved to 31-3 overall and 21-1 in the NWC by taking both games of the doubleheader on the way to a four-game series sweep.  The Pirates (21-15, 13-11) will try to break out of a five-game losing skid when they host George Fox in a four-game series over the weekend.

These last four games were make-ups for a series lost to unplayable winter conditions last month.

Game 1 – Linfield 13, Whitworth 0 (5 inn.)
Tayah Kelly allowed only two hits while improving her pitching record to 19-0, while Claire Seats and Katie Phillips combined to drive in seven runs for the Wildcats.

Linfield didn't get on the board until the third inning, then scored four runs on six consecutive hits with two outs.  Phillips and Seats had the first two RBIs of the game.

The Wildcats added three more in the fourth, two coming on a double by Phillips down the left field line.  She scored later in the inning when a pickoff throw got away at third base.

Linfield blew the game open with six more runs in the top of the fifth.  Seats had a three-run double in the rally.

Heather Menzer and Taylor Hofheins had the only two hits off Kelley in the game.  She walked two and struck out three batters.

Whitworth's Corinne Vasiloff (13-7) went four official innings, but pitched to the first two batters in the fifth before giving way to Kaleigh Bauerle.  Vasiloff allowed nine runs (seven earned) on 12 hits.  Bauerle gave up four runs on one hit and four walks.

Seats finished 3 for 4 in the game for the Wildcats.

Game 2 – Linfield 14, Whitworth 2
Phillips had another big game, going 4 for 5 at the plate with four more RBIs to help the Wildcats complete the series sweep.

Phillips delivered an RBI single in the top of the first and Ashley Sutton hit a two-run home run in the top of the second.  Linfield stretched the lead to 5-0 with two more runs in the third.

The Pirates got within 5-2 in the bottom of the third after loading the bases with one out.  Menzer drove in the first run with a single up the middle and Jazz Johnson followed with a sacrifice fly.

The lead stayed 5-2 until the top of the sixth when Linfield scored four runs.  Phillips and Seats had RBI singles in that rally and Sutton drew a bases-loaded walk.

Phillips added a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to spark a five-run outburst.  Brynn Nelson also had a two-run home run later in the inning.

Tyler Warden (12-1) won her second game of the series for the Wildcats after giving up two runs on 10 hits in six innings.  Hailey Wadsworth pitched the final inning for Linfield.

Momi Lyman (7-7) suffered the loss after allowing nine runs on 14 hits in six innings.  Trinity Miller gave up the final five runs on five hits in the seventh.