FOREST GROVE, Ore. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team's offense was on fire on Saturday afternoon, generating 28 runs across 18 innings to earn a doubleheader sweep of host Pacific University at Chuck Bafaro Stadium. The Lutes prevailed 12-7 in the opener before pummeling the Boxers 16-1 in the nightcap. 
 
"It was a great team effort at the plate today. A lot of guys had a big day, Rutger Youch definitely led the way with seven hits," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.
 
"I thought Moreno did a good job in relief in game one and Sherwood was excellent in game two. Overall, it was a complete team effort today."
 
The Lutes (13-21, 8-12 NWC) set the tone from the first pitch, jumping out to 3-0 lead after one inning of play. Rutger Youch scored the inning's opening run, rounding the bases on an error before getting an RBI double from Brody Phinney and an RBI base hit from Carson Burke. 
 
PLU's lead swelled to 9-0 in the fourth inning. Jaden Pieper drove in the inning's first run before a Rochne Beecham double plated two. A Youch single scored Beecham before a Phinney single scored Aaron Barber.
 
The Boxers (19-12, 7-9 NWC) scored runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, closing the gap to 9-7.
 
A Lukas Delisle single in the seventh inning scored two runs before Christian Cambridge scored on a wild pitch in the ninth for the final run of the game.
 
PLU cranked out 17 hits in the game with seven Lutes finishing with multiple hits. Youch and Hayden Kaiser led the way, both getting three hits and scoring two runs.
 
Jonathan Cohen, Kamryn Swartz and Chris Moreno combined for seven strikeouts on the mound. That included Moreno tossing the final 3 1/3 innings and allowing no hits. 
 
Game two saw the Lutes pile on seven runs in the second inning and five more in the eighth in a blowout 16-1 victory.
 
Phinney got things started with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. Rochne Beecham blasted an RBI single before a wild pitch allowed Pieper to score. 
 
Ashton Barton had a bases clearing double to make it 6-0 before Phinney belted in Barton in his second at bat of the inning. 
 
Barton scored Aaron Barber on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning before a Youch single made it 8-0 in the fifth inning. 
 
The Boxers scored their lone run in the sixth but PLU answered with a Delisle RBI double in the seventh and a five-run eighth inning. That included RBI hits from Pieper, Youch, and Barber before an Asa Reese home run in the ninth established the final 16-1 scoreline.
 
Youch was three-for-four with two RBIs while Phinney had three hits and a pair of RBIs. Barton drove in four runs and scored twice for a Lute offense that had 17 hits. 
 
Matthew Sherwood earned the win, striking out four and allowing just four hits in 7 2/3 innings of action. Cade Hamel recorded the final three outs, allowing no hits and striking out one.
 
The Lutes and Boxers finish the series tomorrow with a single game beginning at noon.