Photo Taken By: Jake Ryan 

By: Ryan Lackey

NEWBERG, Ore. --- After splitting with the Wildcats in yesterday's doubleheader, the Bruins split Sunday's two-game set, too, and in dramatic fashion. Courtney Howard walked off in the first game with a mammoth homer to give the Bruins a comeback win, but Linfield surged in the second game for a comfortable win.

Recap:

Game One
The Bruins showcased their resilience, battling back from a four-run lead against one of the nation's top teams. Though the Bruins scored first on Howard's first-inning RBI single, Linfield scored the next five runs. They got one in the second on Erin Tauscher's squeeze, and then in the third they broke out with four runs. Paige Smotherman sent a ball over the centerfield fence to give the Wildcats a grandslam and a 5-1 lead.

The Bruins responded right away, getting one back in the third when Kayla Anderson doubled, and scored on Howard's RBI groundout. But another rare allowed homer by Bergerson, this one to Erin Kinney, reestablished the Wildcats's lead at 6-2.

But in the bottom of the fourth, the Bruins dragged themselves back into the game. With the bases loaded, Kayla Anderson's sharp grounder was misplayed, letting in one run, and continuing the inning for Amanda Woods, the next batter. Woods's ringing single brought in two more, and the Bruins were down just one, 6-5.

Finally, in the sixth, the Bruins took the lead. Rebecca Pridmore dropped a bunt single, and Kimi Ito doubled. Then, Anderson's sacrifice fly and an error let both runs score, and the Bruins led, 7-6.

With a chance at a win, the Bruins couldn't hold Linfield in the seventh, as Alyssa Harris allowed an RBI single to Tauscher to tie the game. But that only set the stage for Howard's heroics: in the eighth, Woods singled to put one on for Howard, who blasted a homer over the left-center fence for a walkoff, 9-7 Bruin win.

Game Two
Although the 10-1 final of the second game was lopsided, the game was more competitive than the score suggests. Bruin starter Alyssa Parra checked the Wildcats over the first three innings, allowing just one run before succumbing to three in the fourth.

Wildcat starter Brooke Chapman was in rare form, though. After Darian Stedman homered in the third and Linfield added three more in the fourth, the Bruins were down in a 4-0 hole before they managed to get on the board. Again, it was Courtney Howard who delivered. After her career performance in the first game, Howard homered again, and her solo shot narrowed the score to 4-1.

But the Wildcats weren't done scoring, and they did so in threes. In the fifth, they added another three runs on a wild pitch, Smotherman's sacrifice fly, and Kinney's RBI single. In the sixth, the Wildcats scored two more runs off an error and a single up the middle scored another run. The Wildcats went on to take game two, 10-1. 

The Bruins, though they managed to consistently put runners on, couldn't manage to drive them in. Overall, they stranded seven, and the 10-1 final went for Linfield.

Top Performers:

Game One
Howard had a career day, finishing 2-5 with four RBIs and two runs. Woods went 2-3 with a run and two RBIs. Designated hitter Kimi Ito also had two hits and scored twice. Madison Sorensen took the win, working the last one-plus innings.

Game Two
Howard's homer was the Bruins's bright spot offensively. Kayla Anderson and Amanda Woods also recorded hits.

What It Means:
The Bruins stand at 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Northwest Conference; they are fifth in the early-season standings.

What Comes Next:
Next weekend, the Bruins travel to Whitworth for a three-game set.