ANTHEM, Ariz. – Following a 5-2 morning loss to top-ranked Linfield, the Pacific Lutheran baseball team bounced back to defeat Whittier 5-4 in the afternoon to split the second day at the Arizona Baseball Classic.

Trevor Lubking allowed two runs in the first inning against Linfield before settling in to allow only one more hit over six innings. The Lutes tied the game at 2-2 in the second inning. Kit Banko walked to open the inning and advanced to third on a double to left center by Daniel Altchech. Kort Skoda brought home the Lutes' first run with a groundout to second, and Jacob Clements dropped a squeeze bunt on a 2-0 count to bring home Altchech.

Linfield picked up a pair of runs in the seventh on a two-out, 2-RBI double and added one insurance run in the ninth inning. All five runs for the Wildcats reached base on walks, as PLU finished the game with eight walks. The Lutes allowed only four hits with one error to go with the eight walks, while PLU scored its two runs on four hits with no defensive miscues by the Wildcats.

PLU picked up its second close win in as many days in the afternoon game against Whittier. Derrick Mahlum followed up his dominant career-opening performance against Concordia on Monday with six more innings of shutout ball. The Lutes picked up a pair of runs in the first inning on RBI singles by Drew Oord and Curtis Wildung. They added another run in the third on a two-out double by Banko.

Ben Welch made it 4-0 in the fourth inning with a run batted in, and the Lutes scored one more in the fifth on an error to go up 5-0. Skoda came on in relief of Mahlum in the seventh inning, and the Poets rallied to load the bases on back-to-back singles and walk. A two-out single cut the lead to 5-2 after seven innings.

The eighth inning saw more trouble for the Lutes, as Skoda walked the leadoff batter and Jake Otness yielded a double and walk to load the bases with no outs. AJ Konopaski came on to end the threat, allowing two runs on a ground ball beforesoaring through an easy ninth to claim his third save in three appearances.

(Box scores not available)