TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team earned a doubleheader split on Friday and heads into Saturday still in contention to win the Northwest Conference regular season title. The Lutes blanked NWC rival Linfield University 5-0 in the opener behind a strong showing from Spencer Howell before the Wildcats robbed a potential game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth to avoid the sweep and secure the 2-1 win.

NWC leading Pacific University split its doubleheader on Friday with George Fox University, leaving the window open for the Lutes. Pacific won 14-3 in the opener but were nipped 3-2 in 10 innings by the Bruins in the nightcap. PLU needs to win on Saturday and hope for a Boxer loss to secure a share of the league crown and claim the top seed and hosting rights for the 2022 NWC Tournament.

The Lutes (20-13, 13-10 Northwest Conference) drew first blood in the opener with an Ethan Keintz sacrifice fly scoring John Graham for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. PLU added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth with Jordan Haworth blasting a three-run home run, scoring Graham and Cole Trotignon to seize a 4-0 advantage. The home run was Haworth's 22nd of his career, tying PLU's career home run record. 

Andy Schmitz doubled in Braeden Lundberg in the fifth, pushing the Lute lead to 5-0, a score that would hold the rest of the game.

Spencer Howell earned the win on the hill, tossing 7 1/3 innings and allowing five hits while striking out one. Alex Gregory recorded one out before Noah Ferguson closed the door, registering the final four outs, including two by strikeout for his fourth save of the year.

Haworth finished the opener two-for-four with three RBIs while Graham was two-for-four with two runs scored.

The Wildcats (17-15, 13-10 NWC) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in game two, generating a run in the opening inning before the Lutes tied the game in the fourth with a Trotignon single scoring Tori Doten.

Linfield regained the lead in the sixth, scoring on a double and the score held static the rest of the game.

PLU threatened in the ninth with a John Graham potential game winning two-run home run robbed by Linfield's center fielder.

The Lutes mustered just two hits in the nightcap with Linfield's Andrew Del Biaggio tossing seven innings and striking out six for the win with Colton Meyer handling the final two frames for the save.

Tommy Snyder went 7 1/3 innings and strikeout five but was tagged with the loss. Alex Gregory finished out the game, tossing 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

The Lutes and Wildcats finish off the series tomorrow with a single game beginning at 10 a.m.