TACOMA, Wash. — It was a mixed bag for the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team in its home and Northwest Conference opener on Saturday afternoon. The Lutes lit up the scoreboard in a 9-3 win over Lewis & Clark College to open the day but was unable to replicate that success in game two, stumbling 7-2 to the Pioneers at PLU Field. 

The visiting Pioneers (8-2, 1-1 NWC) drew first blood with Jack Thomson blasting a solo home run in the top of the first inning. PLU (6-3, 1-1 NWC) answered in the bottom half of the frame with an Aaron Barber double scoring Andy Schmitz to tie the game.
 
The Lutes took the lead in the second, pouring on three runs. A Braeden Lundberg single scored Ethan Keintz for the go-ahead score before a Sean Kauffman double down the line, plated two more the 4-1 advantage.
 
A Barber base knock made it 5-1 in the fourth before a Lewis & Clark throwing error allowed two more to score, giving the hosts a 7-1 edge. PLU continued to pour on the runs with Ethan Keintz belting a solo home run in the fifth before a Lundberg sacrifice fly scored Brody Phinney to increase the gap to eight runs.
 
L&C added two in the ninth but it wasn't enough as the Lutes collected the game one victory.
 
Ethan Keintz had three hits and scored two runs while Lukas Delisle was three-of-three at the plate. 
 
Schmitz headlined PLU's defensive efforts, robbing a home run in center field for the second out of the fourth inning. Eight different Lutes collected a hit in the game, outhitting the Pios 14-8.
 
Spencer Howell earned the win, striking out five and allowing just four hits in seven innings of work. Jonathan Cohen finished off the game, recording the final six outs.
 
In game two, Jack Thomson ripped a solo home run in the top of the first and again in the top of the third, putting the Pios up 2-0. That lead swelled to seven with five more runs in the eighth inning. 
 
The Lutes put a dent in the lead in the eighth with a Barber single scoring Schmitz and Luke Baier but it wasn't enough as PLU cranked out 11 hits but mustered just two runs.
 
Lukas Delisle was two-for-three at the dish with Schmitz going two-for-four.
 
Landon Day struck out eight in six innings of action and was hit with the loss, allowing two runs. 

"Howell and Day had quality starts today," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.

"Overall, we were not competitive enough offensively in game two. Their starting pitcher did a good job and we didn't capitalize on any mistakes he made. Lewis & Clark is a good team and we'll need to play better tomorrow to win the series."
 
The Lutes and Pios are back on the diamond tomorrow, closing out the NWC series at 11 a.m. before playing a non-conference game to close out the day.