TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team had the potential winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth but was unable to complete the comeback on Sunday afternoon, falling 6-5 to Northwest Conference rival University of Puget Sound.
 
The Lutes (6-7, 2-4 NWC) drew first blood in the second inning, piling on three runs. Cody Bentley led things off with a single to left center field before advancing to second on an Armond Swanson III single up the middle. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Cameron Clem before Andy Schmitz cleared the bases with a double to left center field. Alex Boyd made it a 3-0 scoreline with an RBI single to left field, scoring Schmitz.
 
The visiting Loggers (5-11, 2-7 NWC) pushed across single runs in the third and fourth innings before seizing the lead in the sixth with a pair of scores to take a 4-3 advantage. Puget Sound further padded its lead in the ninth, scoring two to take a 6-3 lead into the final half inning of play.
 
Garrett Wong led off the ninth with a walk, advancing to third on a Schmitz double down the right field line. A wild pitch scored Wong before a Kenton Robillard RBI groundout allowed Schmitz to score, closing the gap to just a single score. UPS's pitcher induced a popup on the next Lute batter, closing the books on the game with the tying run stranded at second. 
 
Schmitz led the Lutes at the plate, going two-for-three with two RBIs and two runs scored. 
 
Noah Ferguson was saddled with the decision, striking out two in five innings of work. Jacob Mortensen provided 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two while Andrew Curran and Alex Gregory combined for three punchouts over the final 2 1/3 innings.
 
Puget Sound's Joe Brennan registered 10 strikeouts in eight innings of work to register the win while Dylan Joyce collected the save, allowing just one baserunner and striking out one. 
 
Despite the setback, the Lutes still earned the series win after collecting a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. PLU is back on the diamond next Saturday, facing Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.