TACOMA, Wash. - Ashton Barton and Ethan Keintz both went deep but the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team didn't have the firepower to secure the weekend sweep on Saturday, falling 8-4 to Willamette University in the final game of the three-game Northwest Conference series. 
 
Despite the setback, the Lutes still earned the series win, picking up 11-6 and 10-0 victories on Friday afternoon. 
 
"We struggled in all three phases of the game today. We didn't get much going offensively and didn't command the zone on the bump. It was good to see Keintz and Barton go deep, unfortunately the game was out of reach at that point," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.
 
The visiting Bearcats (5-5, 3-3 NWC) jumped on the board in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead before a Jordan Haworth single in the bottom of the frame scored Andy Schmitz to tie the game. 
 
WU generated a run in the third, two in the fourth, and three more in the seventh to stake a 7-1 lead. A throwing error allowed Sean Kauffman to score in the seventh but the gap remained six after the Bearcats' hit a solo home run in the eighth.
 
Ashton Barton blasted a solo home run in the eighth while Ethan Keintz had a pinch hit home run in the ninth but it was too little, too late as the Lutes (8-3, 4-2 NWC) fell 8-4.
 
Schmitz finished two-for-five at the plate to lead the Lutes' offensive efforts. Jonathan Cohen tossed 3 1/3 innings and was saddled with the decision, striking out three. Jack Robinette, Alex Gregory, and Trevor Mason handled the final 5 2/3 innings, combining for four strikeouts. 
 
The Lutes are back on the diamond next Saturday, facing George Fox University in a doubleheader in Newberg, Oregon.