TACOMA, Wash. - Jacob Bockelie blasted two home runs and finished with four RBIs but it wasn't enough for the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team to complete the sweep in Georgia, falling 8-5 to Piedmont College on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Lutes (4-3) drew first blood with Marques Carlson scoring Austin Gormley in the first inning. The Lions (6-2) answered with two runs in the bottom of the first.
 
PLU went back on top in the third with Bockelie blasting a home run to score two runs before doing it again in the fifth, plating two more and pushing the Lute advantage to 5-2. Piedmont closed the gap to just two runs with a solo home run in the fifth before seizing the lead in the seventh inning after bringing in four runs. The Lions tacked on an insurance run in the eighth and held on for the 8-5 win, sending PLU its only blemish during the Georgia road trip.
 
Bockelie finished two-for-five with four RBIs while Gormley and Michael Cesar both finished with a pair of hits.
 
Tommy Snyder made the start and tossed the opening five innings, striking out two and allowing just one earned run. Matt Franceschina was hit with the decision, pitching 1 1/3 innings of middle relief.

"We played a very good team today," said Head Coach Nolan Soete. "Snyder battled on the mound and got better as the game went on. Bockelie had a huge day offensively and as a team we had a lot of quality at bats. The Georgia trip was successful overall. We found out where we need to improve and we look forward to getting back to work this week."
 
The Lutes begin defense of their 2018 Northwest Conference regular season title on Saturday, hosting George Fox University in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.