SALEM, Ore. - The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team opened up its final Northwest Conference series of the regular season on a sour note, coming up short 5-3 against host Willamette University.

The game started off slowly, with no one scoring until the top of the sixth inning, where the Lutes (20-14, 12-10 NWC) saw singles from Jordan Haworth and Austin Gormley. A sacrifice bunt from Marques Carlson drove Haworth to third, and he was brought around to score on a groundout from Michael Cesar. 

In the top of the seventh inning, Cameron Clem singled to right to start of the inning and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Tori Doten. A Haworth double to center scored Clem, and an error during Gormley's at-bat drove in Haworth to put the Lutes up 3-0. The Lutes eventually left three runners on the base path, which may have changed the final result of the game had they scored.

In the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, Willamette (17-13, 14-8 NWC) scored five runs to rally for the win. 

From the mound, sophomore ace Justin Armbruester moved up in the single-season strikeout list yet again, recording nine strikeouts over seven innings to take him to 105 on the season, overtaking alum Trevor Lubking for second place.

"Armbruster was excellent today," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.  "Haworth has a good day at the plate and we played good defense. We just didn't play well enough in the 7th and 8th inning and ultimately it cost us the game. We will bounce back and be ready to go tomorrow"

The Lutes return to the field Saturday  to finish out the series with games at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. in Salem, Oregon.