TUCSON, Ariz. – Pacific Lutheran tallied 13 hits and AJ Konopaski tied the PLU career saves record as the Lute baseball team opened the 2015 season with a 5-4 win over La Verne Friday afternoon at the Tucson Invitational Games.

Konopaski pitched the final two innings, striking out two while allowing a pair of hits to earn his 21st career save, tying Aaron Roetcisoender (2002-05) for the PLU record. Chris Bishop started for the Lutes and pitched four shutout innings before running into trouble in the fifth. He allowed four earned runs in the frame and was lifted for Jake Otness, who allowed two hits before giving way to Cory Nelson.

Nelson got the final two outs of the fifth and pitched the sixth and seventh innings, striking out four while allowing only one hit and one walk to earn the win for the Lutes. Javi Iniguez took the loss for La Verne, allowing four earned runs on six hits in only one inning.

Collin Nilson drove in a pair of runs while going 2-for-4 with a single and a double as five different Lutes tallied multiple hits. Brett Johnson had two hits – including a triple – and drove in a run, while Jacob Clements and Matt Vick each had an RBI and Kory VanderStaay had a double, single and two runs scored. Matt Caselli totaled three hits to lead La Verne, while Nolan Henley had two hits and drove in two.

PLU jumped all over La Verne starter Iniguez, putting together a four-run first inning. Bo Pearson and Drew Oord opened with consecutive singles, and Clements reached on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Pearson with the first run of the day. Tyler Thompson and VanderStaay each followed with singles to load the bases, and Johnson made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to right. Nilson drove home Thompson on an RBI single, and Vick followed with a single to score VanderStaay.

The Lutes added their fifth and final run in the bottom of the third. VanderStaay doubled and advanced to third on a single by Johnson. Nilson brought VanderStaay in to score the eventual winning run on a double. The Lutes only tallied three hits the rest of the way, but Nelson and Konopaski combined for 4.2 shutout innings to clinch the season-opening win.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action Saturday, when the Lutes will take on Texas-Dallas in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. at the Tucson Invitational.