TACOMA, Wash. - Spencer Howell pitched eight scoreless innings, powering the 12th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University baseball team to a doubleheader split with Whitworth University on Saturday at PLU Field. The Lutes fell 8-3 in the Northwest Conference series opener before collecting the 5-0 shutout to salvage the split.
The Pirates (6-22, 5-12 NWC) drew first blood in the opener, piling on seven runs in the top of the second inning.
Andy Schmitz got the Lutes (17-9, 10-7 NWC) on the board in the bottom of the third, blasting a two-out solo home run.
PLU added another run in the fifth with a
John Graham base hit to center field, scoring
Braeden Lundberg to close the gap to 7-2. A two-out solo home run in the sixth made it 8-2 Pirates before a
Jordan Haworth sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh allowed Lundberg to score his second run of the game.
A
John Graham base hit to center field in the fifth inning plated Braden Lundberg but the Pirates responded in the sixth with a two-out solo home run, extending their lead to 8-2. A
Jordan Haworth sacrifice fly in the seventh allowed Lundberg to score his second run of the game, reducing the deficit to five runs but the Lutes were unable to come any closer, stranding nine runners on base in the 8-3 setback.
Lundberg led the Lutes at the plate, finishing two-for-three.
Tommy Snyder struck out three but was saddled with his first pitching setback of the year, tossing just 1 1/3 innings.
Alex Gregory pitched 6 2/3 innings of long relief, striking out six and allowing one run while
Nathan Anderson struck out one in a scoreless ninth.
In the nightcap, the Lutes wasted little time getting on the scoreboard with a
Cole Trotignon single to right field, scoring leadoff hitter
Andy Schmitz. PLU pushed across another run in the second with a Lundberg groundout scoring
Ethan Keintz who led off the inning with a triple to right field.
Trotignon was at it again in the third, singling in Haworth while a
Tori Doten RBI single scored Lundberg in the fourth. A Lundberg sac fly scored Trotignon in the fifth, pushing the Lute advantage to 5-0.
Howell was lights out in game two, dialing up five punchouts in eight innings of scoreless work to earn the win.
Jack Robinette preserved the shutout, retiring the side in order in the ninth inning.
Trotignon was on fire at the plate, finishing the nightcap four-for-four with two RBIs and one run scored. Schmitz, Keintz, and Doten all finished with a pair of hits.
The Lutes and Pirates close out the series tomorrow with a single game beginning at 10 a.m.
