By Christian Bond, PLU Sports Information Student Writer

PARKLAND – A strong all-around day from right fielder Brett Johnson and impressive pitching performances led the Pacific Lutheran baseball team to a Northwest Conference doubleheader sweep of visiting Willamette Saturday as PLU won game one 6-1 and took game two 7-1.

Johnson scored three of PLU's six runs in the first game, as he went 2-for-3 with a walk and knocked in one run while scoring three. Game two was when Johnson flashed the leather and his power stroke. In the top of the sixth inning, Willamette's Perry Van Eckhardt blasted a ball to deep right field, but Johnson tracked the ball, reached out with his glove, and robbed the Bearcat of an extra-base hit in a game that was tied at 1-1. One batter after the Lutes took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Johnson turned on a pitch and sent it over the wall in left field for a three-run home run.

"In game one I saw my pitches when I got them and got on base three out of four times," Johnson said. "My teammates were able to drive me in after I got on base. In the second game, I was struggling at first a little bit; I had some good swings, put some good swings on a couple balls. Finally I got one low and in; I turned on it, and it worked out."

Ty Donahou and Cory Nelson led the Lutes on the mound to earn the two wins. Donahu pitched 6.2 innings in relief in game one, giving up five hits while striking out three. Game two starter Nelson pitched eight innings while allowing nine hits to go with four strike outs. The PLU defense helped its pitchers keep the Bearcats off the board with five double plays on the day.

"I thought the defense played a lot better in the second game," PLU head coach Nolan Soete said. "We made three errors in the first game. Our goal is always to make one or fewer per game. We buckled down defensively. I thought the pitching staff did a really good job today, attacking the zone, and hitting their spots. Cory did a great job in the second game, and Ty did a really good job coming in on relief on short notice."

The Lute offense came to play in both games of the doubleheader. In game one, PLU accumulated eight hits as a team, resulting in six runs. Cole Johnson drove in two runs with his first PLU home run and added another RBI, while Landon Packard and Tyler Thompson each drove in one run. Game two saw the Lutes spray the ball around the park for 15 hits and seven runs. Frank Airey drove in two runs on a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning to help put the game out of reach, while Drew Oord also drove in a run.

"We worked really hard all week on offense," Soete said. "Our focus was having quality at bats all day long. More than 50 percent quality at bats, we did that in the second game. Whenever you do that, you give yourself a really good chance to win."

The final game of the three game series is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start on Sunday as the Lutes look for their first series sweep of the season.

"I'm looking for us to finish," Soete said. "We have a chance to sweep a good team; Willamette is a good team. I am looking forward to seeing our guys come out here and compete, play good defense, pitch well and get some timely hits."