WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Needing a series victory over Whitman College to qualify for the Northwest Conference Tournament, the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team saw its postseason hopes end as it dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Blues on Saturday.
 
Game 1
The opening game of the double dip featured a combined 28 hits and 21 runs, but saw the Lutes come up short 12-9. Ashton Barton allowed the Lutes to score first in the top of the third with a RBI single, but Whitman answered with three in the bottom half. PLU tied it in the top of the fourth on a double by Braeden Lundberg and a single by Barton, but the Blues scored another in the fourth and two more in the fifth to reclaim the lead.
 
PLU knotted the score in the seventh with three runs, including a RBI triple by Andy Schmitz and a RBI double by Rutger Youch. However, the bullpen couldn't hold the lead as it allowed four runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
 
The first four batters in the Lute lineup all had multiple hits and Rutger Youch also had a big day, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a RBI and a walk from the eighth spot in the order.
 
Chris Moreno (2-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs on four hits in the seventh and getting just two outs.
 
Game 2
Whitman continued to roll offensively in the nightcap, scoring nine runs on 12 hits, including the first six tallies of the game in a 9-2 victory.
 
Andy Schmitz singled to right to score Lundberg in the fifth and PLU scored on a wild pitch in the eighth for the visitors only runs of the second game.
 
Cole Trotignon (2-5) took the loss after providing two innings of work and giving up a two-run home run in the first. Jake Sulya, the Lutes' fifth pitcher of the day had a terrific outing, firing the final 3 2/3 innings and allowing just two hits and no runs.
 
Offensively, Schmitz had three of the PLU's eight hits.
 
Next Up
The Lutes will close the 2023 season tomorrow at Noon as they look to avoid the sweep against the Blues.