SPOKANE – The Pacific Lutheran offense put one on the board in the top of the ninth, and the Lutes got yet another dominant starting pitching performance to defeat Whitworth 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Merkel Field.

With the win, Pacific Lutheran clinches the 2-1 series victory after the teams split Saturday's doubleheader. The Lutes improve to 12-5 overall and 7-1 in the Northwest Conference, while Whitworth falls to 6-9 overall and 3-3 in conference play. PLU returns home next weekend to host cross-town rival Puget Sound in a three-game NWC series, beginning with doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m.

Derrick Mahlum improved to 4-1 in five starts this season and lowered his earned run average to 0.83 with eight shutout innings. He limited the Pirates to two hits and three walks with six strikeouts on a total of 103 pitches, leaving the game with the lead after PLU finally pushed a run across in the top of the ninth. AJ Konopaski came in to pitch a perfect ninth inning, sending the Pirates down on eight pitches to pick up his NWC-leading eighth save of the season.

Alec Beal led PLU with a pair of hits, and Collin Nilson came up with the clutch hit to set up the PLU win in the top of the ninth. Nilson doubled down the left field line to lead off the frame and came in to score on a Whitworth throwing error with what proved to be the only run of the game.

Spencer Ansett started for Whitworth and threw 7.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing only six hits on 89 pitches before handing the ball over to Jason Renner for the final four outs of the game. Renner was the tough-luck loser for the Pirates, yielding only Nilson's double and unearned run to fall to 0-1 this season.

Mahlum's eight-inning performance was his longest outing of the season and tied for his fewest runs allowed. It was his fourth start out of five this year without allowing a run.