By: Ryan Lackey

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. --- The Bruins saw their winning streak snapped on Saturday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader, 3-0, against Linfield. Wildcats starter Montana McNealy was one out away from a no-hitter, settling for a one-hitter in the best performance of her season, striking out five.

The Bruins nearly broke the game open, though, in the first inning. Two hit batsmen and a walk loaded the bases for the Bruins with two outs, but Annie Veatch grounded out to end the inning. In their half of the first, Linfield put together a run, when Erin Carson reached on a fielder's choice, went to second on an error, stole third, and came home on another error.

Linfield added two more in the sixth, when Danielle Duman lined a single to left to bring home Carson and Grace Middelstadt and make the final score, 3-0.

Kat Hylton broke up McNealy's no-hit bid in the seventh inning with two outs, driving a single to center field.

Bruins starter Abbie Bergerson, despite taking her first loss of the season to put her record at 5-1, turned in a good game herself, giving up just two earned runs and six hits over her six innings.

The Bruins stand at 8-3 and 4-1 in conference with the loss. They will look to rectify the loss in the second game of the two-game set this afternoon.

After nearly being no-hit in game one by Linfield ace Montana McNealy, the Bruins surged back in game two Saturday afternoon, putting together an all-around performance to win, 5-3.

The Bruins looked like they would run away with the game early on. In the first, they scored twice, as Alex Parker sliced a single to center to bring around Courtney Howard and Rebecca Pridmore. The next inning, they added two more. Ashley Bunce reached base on an error and Woods walked; Kayla Anderson's ringing double brought them both in to make the score 4-0.

Linfield finally got to Bruin starter Madison Sorensen in the bottom of the third. Grace Middelstadt singled, went to second on Pridmore's error, and advanced to third on Danielle Duman's single. With the bases loaded and just one out, Sorenson did well to limit the damage, allowing just one run to score on Erin Kinney's single.

With the score now 4-1, the Bruins added insurance in the fifth, when Amanda Woods got her hands around an inside fastball and deposited it over the left-field fence to push the score to 5-1.

Linfield threatened a comeback in the sixth. Kenzie Schmoll was safe on an error by Bunce, and Jen Tautfest, pinch hitting for Middelstadt, singled. With both runners on, Carson blasted a triple to right-center, making the score 5-3 and ending Sorenson's day.

Reliever Abbie Bergerson put out the fire and pitched one and one-third innings of perfect relief, earning her first save of the season.

Alex Parker went 2-3 for the Bruins, and Courtney Howard scored twice despite going 0-2. Woods had a productive 1-3, her only hit her long homer.

Sorenson improves to 3-1 with the win, and the Bruins go to 9-3 on the year, 5-1 in conference. They host Willamette tomorrow afternoon in a double-dip.