By Christian Bond, Sports Information Student Writer

PARKLAND, Wash. - Connor Cantu homered and Pacific Lutheran continued its offensive prowess with a 9-7 senior day victory over cross-town rival Puget Sound. Senior Garrett Brown earned his third save of the weekend.

The win gave the Lutes (20-14, 13-8) a weekend sweep over the Loggers (14-18, 11-13) and moved them into a tie for second place in the Northwest Conference standings with George Fox. 

"The offense came through today," PLU head coach Nolan Soete said. "We've been swinging it 
well the last couple of weeks. I'm proud of them going down 3-0 and then picking Cole (Johnson) up. Thats what a good team does. They pick each other up."

The Loggers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with four hits in the top of the first inning.

After Sean Rehon's RBI single in the second inning made the score 3-1, the PLU offense exploded for six runs in the third inning to take a 7-3 lead they would not relinquish. 

Ben Welch led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on Landon Packard's infield single. Cole Johnson then singled up the middle to drive in Welch and Tyler Thompson followed with an infield single to load the bases. A pair of wild pitches plated Packard and Johnson to give the Lutes their first lead of the day, 4-3.

Brett Johnson had a patient at-bat and drove in Thompson with a single. Connor Cantu then capped off the inning with a bang as he hit a long two-run home run over the right-center field wall to make it 7-3.

The Loggers threatened by scoring three runs in the top of the fourth inning making it a 7-6 game, but the Lutes' bullpen shutdown the Loggers the rest of the way. Lee Larson, Leif Hansen and Garrett Brown combined to pitch six innings allowing just four hits and one run. 

"Larson came in and did a really good job of grinding and getting through," Soete said. "He 
battled for us. Hansen did a really good job today and improved from yesterday. I thought he 
looked really good today. Brown came in and finished it off. He did what he has been doing all 
year."

"It feels great," Brown said. "It's not too hard to come in and save games when you have a 
defense like ours. We have a great defense, I trust my defense and just try to throw strikes."

The series win over UPS capped off a great home campaign for the eight PLU seniors celebrated 
before today's game.

"It feels good," Soete said. "This is a tough group of guys, they are resilient. We finished with 
a 10-2 home record this year and that's pretty good."

NOTABLE...

Garrett Brown now has five saves this season. One more will tie him with Brian Nate (1991) for fifth most in a PLU season. Brown is one behind Willamette's Jackson Watt for the conference lead. 

WHAT IT MEANS...

The Lutes have clinched a spot in the NWC tournament. They currently sit two games behind conference-leading Whitworth. Pacific and Linfield sit one game behind the Lutes with a 12-9 conference record.

ON TAP FOR THE LUTES...

The Lutes will play a midweek non-conference game with Puget Sound before traveling to Portland next weekend for an important three-game series with Lewis & Clark.