TACOMA, Wash. - Day two of the Cactus Classic had mixed results for the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team on Friday, downing the University of La Verne 8-6 in the opening game before a pair of prickly innings derailed PLU in the nightcap, falling 15-5 to Chapman University. 
 
In the opener against La Verne, Marques Carlson got things rolling for the Lutes, belting a solo home run in the top of the second inning before an Austin Gormley double to left field scored three, giving PLU the 4-0 advantage.
 
The Leopards (0-1) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring four runs on four hits to tie the game. 
 
King Jimenez-Cruz singled in Tori Doten for the go-ahead run in the ninth inning before Michael Cesar singled through the right side to allow Jack Hannah to score for an insurance run. 
 
Matt Franceschina was lights out for the Lutes, getting the win after striking out two and allowing no runs over the final four innings. Justin Armbruester got the start, tossing the opening five innings and striking out eight.

"Armbruester and Franceschina were great in game one today," said Head Coach Nolan Soete. "We put together a great ninth inning and we did a good job executing in pressure situations."
 
Eight Lutes finished with a base hit with Jimenez-Cruz leading the way with a two-for-four effort at the dish.
 
In the nightcap, the Lutes again stuck first, plating three runs in the bottom of the fourth. A Jordan Haworth RBI single scored Max Cummings before a Panther error allowed Haworth to score. King Jimenez-Cruz singled in the inning's third run, allowing Tori Doten to score.
 
Chapman countered in the top of the fifth, getting on the board with a solo home run followed by four more runs to take a 5-3 lead. The Panthers would add five more in the sixth and three more in the seventh to seize a 13-3 advantage. 
 
Pacific Lutheran pushed across two runs in the bottom of the seventh but Chapman tacked on two more of its own in the eighth on its way to the 15-5 win.
 
Haworth led the Lutes at the plate, finishing three-for-fourth with two RBIs while Austin Gormley collected a pair of hits.
 
Justin Tucker was saddled with the decision on the mound, tossing 4 1/3 innings and striking out four.  

"Tucker threw well in game two, he just missed a few spots in the fifth inning and the game really got away from us the last three innings. Overall we hit well today against La Verne. We really need to clean up our defense. We're looking forward to playing another quality opponent tomorrow."

The Lutes close out their Arizona road swing tomorrow morning, facing the University of Texas-Dallas at 11 a.m.