Written by Student Assistant Sarah Cornell-Maier

TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team saw its record setting 12-game win streak come to a close on Friday afternoon, dropping the first game of a three-game Northwest Conference series 8-6 to Willamette University.

The Lutes (17-9, 15-3 NWC) started off the first inning with some action, with walks going to Connor Cantu and Jacob Bockelie. Cole Johnson was next up to bat after Bockelie, and hit an RBI single to drive in Cantu, opening scoring for the day.

Willamette (16-13, 9-8 NWC) scored one in the third, but in the fourth inning the Lutes added some on to regain the lead for a while. Johnson singled, and a Marques Carlson RBI double to the left center field corner scored Johnson from first. An infield single from Max Cummings put runners on first and second for Matt Vick. Vick went for a sacrifice bunt, and an error from the Bearcats first baseman got him to first safely, loading the bases for Adam Stump. A sacrifice fly from Stump scored Carlson to put the Lutes at a 3-1 lead.

Willamette scored three in the top of the sixth, putting them ahead of the Lutes 4-3.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, consecutive singles from Johnson and Carlson put two on the bases, and a sacrifice bunt from Cummings moved them up a base. Vick hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Johnson, tying the game at 4-4.

The Willamette Bearcats had a strong 8th inning, scoring four to overtake the Lutes on a grand slam shot by Connor Bailey.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Lutes attempted to make a comeback. A Carlson single down the left field line opened up the scoring, but he was out at second on a Cummings single. Corey Ng came in to pinch run for Cummings, and a Vick double off the center field wall brought in Ng. A strong RBI double from Stump down the left field line brought Vick in to score, but it was unfortunately not enough to overcome the Bearcats' strong eighth, and the Lutes eventually fell 8-6, snapping their program record tying 12-game win streak.

"We didn't play as well as we would have liked today," said Head Coach Nolan Soete. "We didn't pitch well and we made some untimely errors. We are excited to get back to work tomorrow."

Willamette's Matt Steindorf tallied the win, going seven innings while Joseph Faudskar came in from center field to close out the game in the ninth, earning the save.

The Lutes pick up the second and third games of the series tomorrow at 12 p.m. at PLU Field.