TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team extended its win streak to six on Friday afternoon, earning a doubleheader sweep at the expense of in-state rival Whitworth University. Rochne Beecham had a grand slam and drove in six runs in a 10-2 rout to start the day before Chris Moreno pitched three innings of long relief in a 3-2 victory to sweep the day.
 
Pacific Lutheran (15-15, 9-9 Northwest Conference) drew first blood, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one. A Cole Trotignon sacrifice fly scored Andy Schmitz before an Aaron Barber single up the middle plated Ashton Barton for the early lead.
 
The Lutes continued to inflict damage in the third inning with Rochne Beecham blasting his first career home run— a grand slam– making it 6-0 in favor of the hosts. An Ethan Keintz double scored Trotignon in the fourth before scoring on a Beecham single up the middle, extending PLU's advantage to 8-0. 
 
The Pirates (8-22, 5-14 NWC) got on the board in the fifth courtesy of a solo home run before pushing across another in the top of the seventh.
 
PLU tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth with a Trotignon single scoring Barton before Beecham drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Trotignon to make it 10-2.
 
PLU pounded out 14 hits in the win headlined by Trotignon going three-for-four with three runs scored and Beecham who had a pair of hits while driving in six runs. Eight Lutes finished the game with a base hit with all nine batters reaching base at least once.
 
Spencer Howell earned the win on the hill, striking out seven in seven innings of labor. Wyatt Norris logged two innings of relief, allowing just one hit while striking out one.

"Spencer set the tone for us today in game one," said Head Coach Nolan Soete. 

"Rochne has been swinging it well for a few weeks now and he had a huge game."
 
PLU jumped to an early 2-0 lead in game two, taking advantage of a throwing error to score Andy Schmitz and Braeden Lundberg. A Lundberg sacrifice fly scored Alex Boyd in the second before the Pirates got on the board in the top of the fourth with a solo home run.
 
Whitworth narrowed the gap to a single run in the sixth inning stealing home to make it 3-2.
 
The Pirates threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs before Moreno induced a lineout and struck out two to net his fourth save of the season. Moreno had five strikeouts in three innings of work. Starter Jonathan Cohen notched the win, striking out two in 5 2/3 innings of action.

"I thought Cohen commanded the zone well today and Moreno was able to close it out in a big time pressure situation. The pitchers did an awesome job picking up our offense in game two. Overall it was a tremendous team effort."
 
Alex Boyd and Carson Burke led the Lutes at the plate in game two, both finishing two-for-three.
 
The Lutes and Pirates close out the series tomorrow at noon.