Setting the Scene: The Pacific Lutheran University athletic department has five teams in action this weekend, including the softball team hosting its penultimate home series of the season. Softball hosts in-state rival Whitworth University while baseball takes the short drive to Lacey on Sunday to play in-state rival Saint Martin's University. Track & field heads up to Bellingham for a track meet at Western Washington University while the women's rowing team caps off the season in California at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships.

SATURDAY:
ROW at WIRA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.
T&F at Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham, Wash.
SB hosts Whitworth (DH) at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
SUNDAY:
ROW at WIRA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.
SB hosts Whitworth (DH) at PLU Field (11 a.m.)
BB at Saint Martin's in Lacey, Wash. (12 p.m.)

Men's Track & Field: The Lutes had three conference champions over the weekend, finishing third overall as a team at the 2024 Northwest Conference Championships hosted by George Fox University.

Grady Lemma led the way, winning league titles in both the 110-meter hurdles (14.97 seconds) and the 400-meters (54.93). Owen Ladinig claimed a league title in the 10,000-meters in 31:06.40. Ryan Stracke was runner-up in both the 1,500-meters and 5,000-meters, Keola Sanchez was second in the 100-meters, while Carson Olmstead was runner-up in the javelin.

PLU tallied 104 points over the two days of competition at GFU's Stoffer Family Stadium, finishing third and enjoying a 34-point buffer on fourth place Linfield University.

Softball: Pacific Lutheran (15-17, 10-10 NWC) extended its winning streak to five with a weekend sweep on the road against Pacific University. Rachael Rhinehart ensured the team got the series off on the right foot, striking out seven and tossing the program's first no-hitter since 2017 in a 5-0 victory.

Six runs in the opening two innings paved the way to a 7-6 victory in game two on Saturday. The Lutes took game three of the series 3-0 on Sunday before slugging to a 13-5 win to close thing out.

Casey Wright blasted three home runs over the four-game series, cranking out six total hits while Rhinehart was honored as the NWC Pitcher of the Week on Monday after earning two wins inside the circle, allowing just four hits over two games and striking out 12.

Women's Track & Field: Eva Wirth and Madison Downey each won NWC titles, powering the Lutes to a seventh-place finish on Saturday at the 2024 NWC Championships.

Wirth got things started for the Lutes, winning the hammer throw on Friday by a convincing 18 inches with a personal best heave of 154 feet, seventh inches. Downey made her NWC debut in style, winning the triple jump with a leap of 36' 7 ¾" with Kyleigh Archer finishing runner-up.

Teuila Ilalio and Alicia-Ellalynn Soliai both earned All-Conference honors, finishing third in the shot put and discus, respectively.

Women's Golf: PLU finished fifth at the 2024 NWC Championships held at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, Oregon.

Abby Matelski was one of three Lutes inside the top 20, finishing ninth overall after shooting a 162 (83-79). Emily Fisher tied for 17th with a 169 (86-83) while Ava Edmonds was 20th with a 170 (87-83).

PLU shot a 678 over the two rounds, holding a 36-stroke edge on sixth place University of Puget Sound.

Baseball: The Lutes won their fourth NWC series of the season, taking two of three on the road against Pacific University.

A six-run fourth inning powered the Lutes to a 12-7 victory in the opener on Saturday before finishing the day with a sweep by crushing the Boxers 16-1. Host Pacific avoided the series sweep on Sunday, earning a 7-2 victory after scoring the game's opening five runs.

Matthew Sherwood was dialed in on the mound in the second game of the series, tossing 7 2/3 innings and striking out four while allowing just four hits.

At the plate, Lukas Delisle had seven hits and four RBIs over the weekend, including a three-for-four effort in the series finale.

Men's Golf: Marcus Otto finished seventh overall as PLU tallied a fifth-place team finish on Sunday at the 2024 NWC Championships at Langdon Farms Golf Club.

Otto had a seven-stroke improvement from round one to round two, finishing with a 149 to tie for seventh overall. Otto opened with a 78 on Saturday before carding a 71 during Sunday's final round. Koen Solis was 15th with a 152 while Hunter Olson was 22nd (155).

PLU shot a 613 as a team, finishing just eight strokes shy of fourth place Whitworth University.

Women's Rowing: The Lutes made a return trip to Lake Vancouver on Sunday, finishing fourth overall at the 2024 NWC Championships.

PLU's varsity eight boat was fourth in its race, gliding down the 2,000-meter course in 7:49.5 while the second varsity eight was third in its race in 8:44.88.

PLU finished the day with the novice four finishing runner-up in 8:37.0.

Riah Heil, who raced with both the varsity eight and the novice four boat, was one of eight student-athletes to earn All-Conference honors and the only first-year to do so.