TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball squad hopes to meld experience with youth this spring as the Lutes look to return back to the postseason after missing out on the Northwest Conference Tournament for the first time in program history last spring. 
 
The Lutes wrapped up the 2023 season with a 17-19 overall record and an 11-13 mark in NWC action, finishing in sixth place in the league standings after dropping the final three games of the year. 
 
"We return a lot of position guys that have a lot of experience. We lost two big ones (to injury) in Braeden Lundberg and Ethan Keintz and that obviously hurts. They had a ton of experience and were really good leaders as well," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.
 
Lundberg started all 36 games last spring and was Second Team All-NWC at shortstop, boasting a .352 batting average and a team-best .442 on-base percentage. Keintz made 31 starts in the outfield, boasting a .308 average. 
 
Headlining the experienced returners will be utility man Ashton Barton. A Second Team All-League selection and All-Region honoree, Barton split time as a catcher, third basemen, and first basemen last season. The senior started all 36 games, leading the team with 33 RBIs and 18 doubles with a .336 batting average. Soete expects the Puyallup, Washington native to primarily play the hot corner but could still see action behind the plate or at first base at times.
 
Also back is Honorable Mention All-NWC second basemen Aaron Barber. The transfer from Virginia Commonwealth University hit .284 as a Lute in 2023 with 26 RBIs and 24 runs scored while striking out just seven times in his 155 official at-bats. 
 
"Aaron's really taken some big time steps forward offensively and he's pretty locked in. He's been making solid contact since he stepped on campus this fall."
 
"We're really looking forward to a big senior year from both Barber and Barton, and to be honest we will need them to have big years."
 
Behind the dish will be Lukas Delisle who made 21 starts last spring for the Lutes. 
 
Sophomores Brody Phinney and Carson Burke will jockey for the starting shortstop position in the absence of Lundberg this spring. Phinney appeared in 24 games last year, collecting eight RBIs while Burke played in 21 games and made 17 starts, finishing with 10 RBIs and six extra base hits.
 
"Both are very athletic and have the skills to play shortstop. They've done it in the past in high school but obviously they haven't done it recently. It's a big time challenge for both and it's a pretty tight race right now. Going into the opening weekend I couldn't really tell you who's going to win it at this point. They'll both get opportunities there and I think both will be in the lineup quite a bit this year regardless of who wins it."

At first base, Asa Reese looks to take the starting role. The sophomore from Seattle, Washington was injured last spring but has shown his ability during fall ball and the past two months of practice. 
 
Also in the mix at first base are Burke and Phinney along with the versatile Barton.
 
Rutger Youch will move to center field to replace the injured Keintz. A sophomore, the Newcastle, Washington native made 20 starts and hit .282 at the plate last spring with seven extra base hits.  
 
"I'm impressed with the progress of Rutger at the plate. He's gotten bigger, stronger, faster and he's fine tuned his approach a little bit at the plate."
 
Joining Youch in the outfield will be a rotating cast that includes newcomers Brayden Adcox and Tacoma Community College transfer Peter King along with sophomore Rochne Beecham. Beecham had just 49 at bats last year but made the most of his chances, sporting a .388 batting average with 18 RBIs and seven extra base hits. 
 
"Rochne's one of our better hitters and he had substantial playing time last year as a freshman. It's just a matter of is he going to DH or be playing one of the corners and I anticipate him doing a little bit of both."
 
On the mound, the Lutes will be inexperienced but talented.
 
Gone are starters Spencer Howell and Cole Trotignon who were both All-Conference arms and combined to pitch 121 of the team's 312 2/3 innings last spring.
 
Chris Moreno had an electric freshman season in the bullpen as the Lutes' closer and will move into a starting role this spring. The Newhall, California native made 21 appearances with four saves, striking out 42 in just 37 1/3 innings of work.
 
Also back in the starting rotation is Jonathan Cohen. A 2021 Honorable Mention All-Conference arm, the southpaw had 18 appearances and five starts last season, netting three wins, one save, and striking out 25. 
 
New to the rotation is Matthew Sherwood, a six foot, five inch, righthander from Santa Clarita, California. 
 
"Matt's been pretty dominant since he's stepped on campus. He's a very hard worker and a very good leader for a freshman so I'm excited to see what he can do."
 
With Moreno moving to the starting rotation, the closer role will likely be by committee at least in the opening weeks of the season. Anthony Adams, Logan Egge, and Kamryn Swartz all look to make their mark in the pen. Adams made nine appearances last season for the Lutes while Egge and Swartz are both newcomers to the program. Egge is a freshman from Bothell, Washington while Swartz comes to Luteville from Shoreline Community College where he made 18 appearances last season for the Dolphins, striking out 28 with five saves.
 
Also returning will be relievers Wyatt Norris and Trevor Mason who combined to pitch 54 2/3 innings last spring. 
 
"(This team) is a really hard working group. These guys seem to gel pretty well together. They're kind of a big family and they all get along pretty well. The nice thing is they embrace the grind. They like to practice and work hard in the weight room. As a coach that's one of the things that you ask for."
 
PLU was picked to finish seventh in the NWC Coaches' Poll released earlier this week, sandwiched between Linfield University and George Fox University with 24 points. The coaches expect another tight pennant race in the league with just four points separating fifth ranked University of Puget Sound from eighth ranked George Fox University. 
 
The Lutes open the season at home on Saturday, hosting Bushnell University in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. PLU begins league play on March 3 in Spokane against Whitworth University with the home conference opener the following weekend against Willamette University.