TACOMA, Wash. — A seventh inning power surge that included a
Brody Phinney grand slam was more than enough to push the Pacific Lutheran University baseball squad past crosstown rival University of Puget Sound, vanquishing the hosts 18-12 on Tuesday afternoon at Logger Field.
"We did a great job today from an offensive standpoint," said Head Coach
Nolan Soete.
"Up and down the lineup guys had disciplined at bats. Phinney and Beecham had a huge day for us. It was nice to see everyone swing the bat with authority and it was a huge step in the right direction.
The Lutes (9-16) trailed by six heading into the seventh inning before exploding for 11 runs in what was PLU's biggest one inning offensive display since pouring on 12 against the Loggers (11-14) on April 10, 2021. PLU's 18 runs was additionally, the Lutes' best single game offensive output since a 20-13 victory over UPS on March 19, 2022.
Phinney belted an RBI single in the top of the first inning but things weren't so rosy after the Loggers answered with five runs in the bottom of the first. RBI singles from
Aaron Barber and
Ashton Barton reduced the gap but the Loggers struck again. adding two in the second and single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to build a 9-3 advantage.
Phinney would be a catalyst again in the seventh with a base hit driving in PLU's first two runs.
Jaden Pieper singled in a run before
Peter King drove in two more. A
Rochne Beecham double scored two to give the Lutes a 10-9 lead before Phinney blasted a grand slam in his second at bat of the inning.
Beecham made it 16-10 in the eighth with a two-RBI single before doing it again in the ninth inning to make it 18-10. UPS belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth but it was too little, too late as the Lutes' rolled to the non-conference win.
PLU's bats cranked out 22 hits with 11 players recording a base hit. Phinney paced the squad going four-for-seven at the plate with seven RBIs while Beecham was four-for-seven with six RBIs. Barton had three hits while Barber, King, and
Cole Becker all collected a pair of hits.
PLU tossed six arms on the day, combining for six strikeouts in the blowout win.
The Lutes are back on the diamond on Saturday, heading to Portland for a doubleheader against Northwest Conference rival Lewis & Clark College.
Â
