FOREST GROVE, Ore. - The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team staved off elimination on Friday morning with a 6-4 win over Whitworth University but was unable to dodge a second bullet in the afternoon, stumbling 8-4 to Willamette University to exit the 2021 Northwest Conference Tournament at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
 
The second-seeded Lutes (26-17) rebounded after yesterday's extra innings setback, winning the opening game of day two 6-4 to eliminate fourth-seeded Whitworth from the tournament. 
 
The Pirates drew first blood with Jaxsen Sweum blasting a solo home run in the top of the first inning. PLU answered in the bottom half of the frame with Alex Boyd getting things started with a one-out double. A Cole Trotignon single moved Boyd to third before scoring on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Austin Gormley. 
 
The floodgates opened in the fifth inning with Kenton Robillard and Boyd both blasting two-RBI singles, giving the Lutes the 5-1 advantage. 
 
A Gormley singles scored Jordan Haworth in the sixth extending the buffer to five runs. Whitworth scored two in the eighth and another in the ninth, closing the gap to 6-4. The Pirates had the winning run in scoring position in the top of the ninth but Alex Gregory induced the strikeout to end the game and collect his third save of the season. 
 
Boyd continued his strong hitting in the tournament, posting a three-for-five effort with two RBIs while Haworth was three-for-four with a run scored.
 
Trotignon earned the win on the mound, going 7 1/3 innings with four punchouts. Justin Tucker struck out two in middle relief before Gregory notched the final three outs to preserve the win.
 
In the nightcap, third-seeded Willamette utilized a two-run home run to take an early lead in the top of the first. Andy Schmitz scored on a wild pitch in the third inning before an Austin Gormley double scored Trotignon and Haworth to give the Lutes the 3-2 advantage.
 
That lead slipped away in the fifth with the Bearcats (29-14) piling on six runs to take an 8-3 lead.
 
A Trotignon groundout scored Alex Boyd in the ninth but the Lutes were unable to inflict any more damage, dropping their second game in as many days to Willamette as the Bearcats advance to tomorrow's championship game against host Pacific University,
 
Schmitz led the Lutes with a three-for-five effort at the dish with Cody Bentley belting a pair of hits. Trotignon drove in a run and scored a run, closing the season with 54 RBIs, two shy of tying the school record.
 
Jonathan Cohen got the start and tossed four innings, allowing three earned runs. Spencer Howell handled 4 2/3 innings of long relief, allowing three hits and just one walk while striking out two.