Linfield’s softball national championship dreams came to an end Friday when the Wildcats lost to Trine (Ind.) 3-2 in eight innings at Marshall, Tex.
Competing in an elimination game at the NCAA Division III softball championship, Trine scored the game winner in the bottom of the eighth when Emma Lee scored from third base after a wild pitch.
Linfield, seeking to add to national titles that were won in 2007 and 2011, went two-and-out in this year’s championship tournament. The Wildcats (46-6) fell to the loser’s bracket after suffering a 3-0 loss to Coe (Ia.) on Thursday.
Linfield had nine hits, but left eight runners on base, including runners on second and third in the top of the seventh with score tied at 2-2. Baily Paul had two hits and scored a run to lead the Wildcats.
Trailing 2-0 in the third, Linfield scored its first runs of the tournament to tie the game. Paul singled and scored on a throwing error, while Katie Phillips later scored on a single by Brynn Nelson.
In the seventh, Paul and Kaili Saathoff produced one out singles, then pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third. But Trine pitcher Alexis Michon coaxed two pop ups to end the threat.
Trine got the game-winner in the eighth after Lee doubled, moved to third on a ground out, then scored on the wild pitch.
–Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel