NWC Baseball: Ellis Grand Slam Highlights Linfield Win

McCollum picked up the win, allowing just two hits and a run in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Cory Ellis Photo: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE - Cory Ellis hit a fifth-inning grand slam that knocked in the decisive runs in Linfield’s 10-6 victory over Lewis & Clark on Sunday that completed a three-game sweep for the Wildcats at Roy Helser Field.

Ellis, who for the second game in a row hit a ball over the left field fence, emptied the bases to lift the Wildcats to a 8-5 lead after the team had fallen behind 5-2.

The third win of the weekend improved Linfield’s outlook in the Northwest Conference. The Wildcats are 13-10 overall, 8-4 in NWC play.

They pulled into a tie in the loss column with defending champion George Fox, which was swept in a three-game series by Pacific Lutheran over the weekend.

Lewis & Clark (8-15, 7-10 NWC) applied pressure early, tagging Linfield starter Joshua Guterman for five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.

After back-to-back RBI singles by Sam Marthinsen and Jordan Shibata, Guterman was removed and Matt McCollum was sent to the mound.

McCollum picked up the win, allowing just two hits and a run in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Linfield cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rhett Fenton, Austin Highberger and Cory Ellis all singled to load the bases with one out.

Then Shannon Chung walked to bring in Fenton and Kevin Mills hit a sacrifice fly to center that brought in Highberger, cutting the Pioneers lead to 5-4.

When Lewis & Clark pitcher Eric Muraoka hit Stew Davis with a pitch the bases were loaded again, but Muraoka struck out Drew Van Cleave to get out of the inning.

In the fifth, Brian Kerr singled to start things off but he was erased at second when Fenton hit into a fielder’s choice. Highberger and Caleb Kearns both singled to set up Ellis’ heroics.

Linfield added a run in the seventh inning when Highberger doubled to lead things off and advanced to third on Kearns’ ground ball. He came home on an errant throw by Lewis & Clark pitcher Neal Finch.

In the top of the eighth, Lewis & Clark loaded the bases with an error and a pair of walks before Kyle Mosbrucker settled down to strike out Marthinsen for the third out.

The Wildcats picked up another run in the eighth when Van Cleave singled in Davis to make it 10-6.

NEXT UP: Linfield travels to George Fox on Friday for a doubleheader that begins at noon.

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