Written by Student Assistant Sarah Cornell-Maier

TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team had its win streak pushed to 12 on Tuesday, downing Lewis & Clark College 6-3 to secure the Northwest Conference series sweep at PLU Field.

The Lutes (17-8, 15-2 NWC) opened up the scoring against the Pioneers (5-22, 3-12 NWC) in the top of the third, with a leadoff walk to Adam Stump and a Tori Doten single putting runners on first and second. Connor Cantu reached first on a throwing error from the third baseman, driving in Stump and moving Doten to third. An Anthony Gosline single to right-center scored Doten, and a Bockelie sacrifice fly scored Cantu, putting the Lutes ahead 3-0.

The Pioneers got two runs back in the bottom of the third and fourth, but in the top of the fifth inning the Lutes added a little more to their lead, with consecutive doubles from Bockelie and Cole Johnson increasing the Lutes lead to 4-2.

After the Pioneers got another run in the bottom of the fifth, the Lutes added another in the top of the eighth, as Johnson got on base via a fielding error on the Pioneers. A sacrifice bunt from Marques Carlson moved Johnson to third, and a Max Cummings sacrifice fly brought Johnson home, unearned, in order to take the score to 5-3 in the Lutes favor.

In the top of the ninth, Cantu singled and stole second, putting himself in scoring position. A fielding error got Bockelie on base and scored Cantu, unearned, taking the Lutes to a 6-3 lead in the game.

On the defensive end of the game, Jacob Mortensen had a strong showing for the Lutes, pitching for 5 2/3 innings, only allowing three runs and striking out three. Chad Gideon came into the game in relief, striking out one and only allowing one hit. In the closing spot, Alex Gregory had a good day, getting the Lutes out of a tough spot in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowing only two hits and no runs to notch his fourth save of the season.

"We made some good defensive plays today. Stump, Cantu, Carlson, and Gosline all made great plays to save runs," said Head Coach Nolan Soete. "Mortensen, Gideon, and Gregory all did a great job competing on the mound. It was a good team effort."

The Lutes return to PLU Field this Friday and Saturday to take on Willamette University, with the first game taking place on Friday at 12 p.m.