NEWBERG, Ore. - Brittany Woods and Claire Velaski combined on a six-inning no-hitter in the second game, completing a 3-1, 9-0 doubleheader sweep by the Linfield College Wildcats over the George Fox University Bruins in the Northwest Conference softball opener for both teams Saturday afternoon here at Morse Field.

Linfield, a heavy favorite to win its seventh straight conference championship, is now 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the league.  George Fox, which was picked to finish seventh, fell to 3-5 overall and 0-2 in NWC play.

Righthander Woods (1-0) went the first four innings of the nightcap, striking out three and walking one.  Southpaw Velaski finished up with two innings of work, fanning one and walking three.  The final inning was not needed because the Wildcats exploded for all their run in the 4th, 5th, and 6th frames.

George Fox starter Erin Lee (2-2) matched zeroes with Woods for three innings before the Wildcats broke the scoreless deadlock on a two-run home run to center by Karleigh Prestianni after a two-out single by Emily Keagbine.  The Wildcats put the game away with a five-run 5th, one run scoring on a bases-loaded walk to Staci Doucette and the rest on Keagbine's grand slam to left-center off reliever Taylor Whitmore.  The Wildcats completed their scoring in the 6th as Rochelle Friend scored on the front end of a double steal and Keagbine doubled in  Alex Hartmann.

Keagbine was 4-4 in the game with five RBIs, and Friend had two hits and scored two runs as the Wildcats collected 11 safeties in all.

The opener was more competitive as Whitmore (1-3) and two Linfield hurlers battled in a close game.  The Wildcats scored in the top of the 1st as Kayla Hubrich singled, advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice, and came in on Hartmann's ground out to first.  The Bruins tied in the home half as Nicole Renteria reached on a force out, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and came in on Amy Lepire's single to center.

Linfield plated the go-ahead run in the 3rd as Hubrich singled again, stole second, moved to third on Friend's infield hit, and came in on Keagbine's sacrifice fly to right.  The Wildcats added an insurance run in the 4th when Emilee Lepp singled, stole second, and scored on Jaydee Baxter's two-out single to left.

Whitmore (1-3) went the distance for the Bruins, scattering seven hits, two of them by Hubrich, and walking one.  Lauren Harvey (2-0) worked four innings for Linfield to pick up the win, allowing all four George Fox hits, and Samantha Van Noy got her first save with three innings of no-hit relief.  Both Linfield hurlers fanned five and walked two.

George Fox and Linfield both have conference doubleheaders Sunday at 12:00 noon, the Bruins visiting Pacific University and the Wildcats hosting Lewis & Clark College.