TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team experienced mix results on Sunday afternoon, settling for a doubleheader split against Linfield College to wrap up the opening weekend of the season. The Lutes came up short 6-3 in the opener before closing the afternoon with a 7-2 victory.
 
The Lutes (2-1) stranded 14 runners on base in the opening game, falling short 6-3 to host Linfield (4-3). Pacific Lutheran drew first blood, pushing across a run in the fourth inning courtesy of a Kenton Robillard sacrifice fly. The Wildcats would respond with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, seizing a 3-1 lead. 
 
Garrett Wong closed the gap to a single run in the sixth, blasting a single to center field to score Tori Doten but the Wildcats again answered with three runs in the seventh,
 
A King Jimenez-Cruz single scored Robillard with two outs in the eighth to close the gap to three in what proved to be the final run of the game. 
 
Jimenez-Cruz led the Lutes at the plate with two of the team's seven hits in the game. Noah Ferguson made his collegiate debut on the hill, striking out five in four innings of work while Andrew Curran handled the final four innings, collecting one punchout. 
 
"I thought Ferguson threw well in game one for his first collegiate outing, we just didn't provide him with enough run support," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.
 
PLU utilized a three inning offensive explosion and strong showing on the mound in game two to secure the 7-2 win. 
 
A Jimenez-Cruz RBI groundout plated Cameron Clem for the opening score of the game in the third inning before a Jordan Haworth single to left field brought in Michael Cesar later in the inning. A Robillard base knock allowed Tori Doten to score in the fourth before coming home himself on a RBI fielder's choice from Jimenez-Cruz.
 
PLU's lead swelled to 5-0 in the fifth with Robillard drawing a bases loaded walk before a Clem single allowed two more to score for the 7-0 advantage. The Wildcats plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh but were kept off the scoreboard the final two innings of play, allowing the Lutes to secure their second win of the weekend.
 
Clem and Dominick Zombik both finished two-for-three at the plate while Clem and Jimenez-Cruz both tallied a pair of RBIs.
 
Tommy Snyder pitched 5 1/3 innings, striking out three and allowing just one run in his season debut. Janson Pederson struck out the lone batter he faced in the sixth before Alex Gregory closed out the game, tossing the final 3 1/3 innings, fanning five for his second save of the weekend.
 
"Snyder had an excellent outing in game two today. He was in control all day and threw three pitches for strikes. Gregory was absolutely dominant for the second time this weekend. We need to have a good week of practice as we prepare for the conference opener at George Fox,"
 
PLU opens Northwest Conference play next weekend, returning to Oregon to face George Fox University in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.