TACOMA, Wash. - Timely hitting was in short supply for the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team in Saturday's rubbermatch against Northwest Conference rival Linfield University, stranding 13 runners on base in a 6-1 setback at PLU Field.
 
A hit batter followed by two base knocks put visiting Linfield up 1-0 in the top of the first. The Lutes threatened in the bottom of the first, loading the bases before a falling victim to an inning ending double play.
 
Two Lute fielding errors extended the second and allowed the Wildcats to increase their lead to 4-0. Pacific Lutheran loaded the bases again in the fourth but a groundout allowed the Cats to escape the inning unscathed. 
 
Linfield padded its lead with a single run in the sixth inning before the Lutes finally got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. John Graham got things rolling with a one-out double before Cole Trotignon and Jordan Haworth drew walks to load the bases for the game's third time. Ethan Keintz flied out to right field, scoring Graham on the sac fly but a strikeout the next at bat stranded two as the Lutes were only able to close the gap to 5-1.
 
Linfield added a run in the ninth and retired the side in order in the ninth to escape with the victory to win the weekend series.
 
Graham finished two-for-four with one run scored and ended the game as the only Lute with multiple hits. Trotignon drew three walks on the day while Keintz provided the lone RBI of the contest for PLU.
 
Trotignon pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Lutes, allowing two earned runs and striking out three. Alex Gregory struck out two of the four batters he faced while Noah Ferguson tossed the final three innings, fanning four and allowing one run. 
 
The Lutes' NWC Tournament fate is now out of their hands and now must hope to have favorable results from around the league over the next few days to secure a spot in the four-team tournament that begins on Friday.