MCMINNVILLE, Oregon – Linfield College scored early and often Sunday afternoon, defeating Whitman College, 7-0. The game was the final one of the weekend, a series the Missionaries dropped three games to zero. Unlike Saturday's contests, Whitman was unable to get anything going Sunday afternoon.
 
It was a rough weekend for the Whits (6-23, 5-16 NWC), who lost back-to-back close games on Saturday and could not get anything going on Sunday. Linfield (24-9, 14-7 NWC), who ranks 24th in the country, kept pace with Pacific Luthern at the top of the conference. While Whitman fell into a tie with Lewis and Clark in the Northwest Conference standings.
 
The Missionaries were unable to get the bat going on the offensive side of the game, collecting just five hits, none of which were extra base hits. Adrian Vela and Peter Carmichael accounted for four of the five Whitman hits, but neither came around to score. John Lyon's pinch hit single was the only other hit that the Missionaries collected in the game.
 
Whitman was not given many opportunities to advance runners either. The Missionaries stranded five runners and only had runners in scoring position in the eighth inning. A lead-off walk, followed by single by Lyon had runners on first and second with no outs, but back-to-back fly outs left the runners where they were. A walk loaded the bases, but unfortunately for the Whits, it was not meant to be.
 
Linfield jumped on Whitman pitcher Will Thompson early, scoring five of their seven runs in the first three innings and adding two more in the fifth. Thompson was relieved in the sixth inning by pitcher Jack Coppinger, who combined with Henry Lin threw three innings, surrendering five hits and zero runs. The seven-run deficit was just too much for the Missionaries to come back from.
 
The Whits will return home on April 18 and 19 for their final home series of the season. Whitman will play Pacific University in a three-game series that will begin on Saturday at 12 p.m. and concluding Sunday at 12 p.m.