FOREST GROVE, Ore. - The fourth-seeded Pacific Lutheran University baseball team staved off elimination with a 2-0 shutout win over third-seeded George Fox University to open Saturday but ran out of magic in the afternoon, falling 4-3 to top-seeded Pacific University in another elimination game at the 2022 Northwest Conference Tournament at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
Spencer Howell was the star of the show in the opening elimination game, tossing a complete game shutout. The junior righthander struck out six while scattering five hits while getting run support in the first and seventh innings to claim the win and bounce third-seeded George Fox (20-21) from the tournament.
John Graham got the Lutes (21-16) on the board with two outs in the top of the first, belting a solo home run, his fourth round tripper of the season.
Jordan Haworth padded the Lute lead in the seventh, hitting a sacrifice fly to score
Andy Schmitz.
PLU cranked out seven hits in the opener, with Schmitz leading the way with a two-for-four effort.
Cole Trotignon got things going in game two, helping his own cause by blasting a two RBI double in the top of the third, scoring
John Graham and
Andy Schmitz. The Boxers (26-14) cut the gap to a single run in the fourth before an
Ethan Keintz single scored Graham, giving the Lutes a 3-1 lead. PLU's lead evaporated in the eighth, surrendering a solo home run, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI double as the Boxers rallied to take the 4-3 lead and hold on for the win.
PLU had the tying run on second base in the top of the ninth with one out but consecutive groundouts ended the Lutes' NWC Tourney run and put the hosts into the Championship Game where they will face Linfield University tomorrow.
PLU outhit the Boxers 11-8 with Schmitz, Trotignon, Kenitz,
Lukas Delisle and Graham all finishing with multiple hits.
Trotignon pitched the opening 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and striking out three.
The Lutes are back in action on Thursday, facing crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound in a non-conference tilt at Cheney Stadium, home of the Pacific Coast League's Tacoma Rainiers.
