PUYALLUP, Wash. — Erik Bainter threw for four touchdowns and ran for another while Ashton Barton had two interceptions, including a 100-yard pick six as the Pacific Lutheran University football team stayed atop the Northwest Conference standings with a dominating 47-21 Homecoming win over Lewis & Clark College on Saturday at Sparks Stadium.
 
The game was tied at halftime before the Lutes (3-2, 2-0 NWC) broke the game open in the third quarter, scoring four consecutive touchdowns to turn the homecoming tilt into a one-sided blowout.

"It's always good to get a win on Homecoming. It was great to see so many former Lutes coming back to cheer our guys on today," said Head Coach Brant McAdams. 

"We knew we left some big opportunities out there in the first half and challenged the offense to come away with points in the second half and they answered."
 
Manuel Felan got the Lutes rolling in the first quarter, hauling in a 22-yard pass from Bainter before Bainter plunged in from two yards out early in the second quarter for an early 14-0 Lute lead.
 
The Pioneers (2-2, 0-2 NWC) answered with two touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the half, going into the locker room deadlocked at 14.
 
PLU needed just 48 seconds to reclaim the lead in the third with Bainter connecting with Marc Basa on a 55-yard pass. Michael Martinez plunged in from six yards out with 3:06 left in the quarter before Barton solidified the win, picking off his second pass of the day and rumbling 100-yards to make it 33-14 PLU heading into the fourth. 
 
Felan hauled in his second TD of the night midway through the fourth, capping off a 64-play drive while Kamaehuokalani Makanui returned a Pio onside kick for a touchdown in the 26-point with 2:24 remaining in the 26-point blowout.
 
PLU racked up 394 yards of offense, with Felan finishing with nine catches for 135 yards and two scores. Basa had five catches for 98 yards and a score. Bainter was 21-for-38 with 296 yards through the air while Raysen Motoyama led the ground attack with 48 yards.
 
Cheyn Tam-Switzer led the Lute defense in tackles with 11 takedowns, including seven solo tackles while Barton had eight tackles, 1.5 TFLs, and two picks. Kalen Davis-White had eight tackles and two TFLs while Kord Tuttle had a pair of sacks. All told, the defense racked up 12 TFLs and six sacks on the day. 

"The defense stepped up again pressuring the quarterback, creating takeaways, and scoring on defense. Ashton's pick six was an outstanding play. The best part was his teammates throwing legal blocks all the way downfield to get him in the endzone."
 
Saturday's homecoming win was the most points the Lutes have produced since piling on 48 against the Pios during the 2016 season. 
 
The Lutes remain at home next weekend, hosting in-state rival Whitworth University at 1 p.m.