Setting the Scene: It's senior day weekend for the Lute baseball and softball squads who close out the regular season while the PLU track & field programs compete in a pair of last chance meets in Oregon.
FRIDAY:
SB hosts Puget Sound (DH) at PLU Field (2 p.m.)
BB hosts Puget Sound (DH) at PLU Field (11:30 a.m.)
T&F at Oregon Twilight in Eugene, Ore. (4 p.m.)
SATURDAY:
BB hosts Puget Sound at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
SB at Puget Sound (DH) in Tacoma, Wash. (12 p.m.)
T&F at Portland Twilight in Portland, Ore. (2 p.m.)
Softball: The Lutes (19-17, 14-10 NWC) have been on a tear, winning nine straight games for the first time since the 2022 campaign. Fueling the run has been a stellar two weeks inside the circle from the PLU pitching staff that has pitched five shutouts with a 1.84 earned run average over that nine-game stretch.
Last weekend the Lutes obliterated in-state rival Whitworth University, outscoring the visitors 19-3 over the four-game series. That included allowing runs in just 25 of the 27 innings played, posting 5-0, 2-0, and 8-0 shutouts to open the series. The Pirates finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth and final game of the weekend but it wasn't enough as PLU sunk Whitworth 4-3.
Paola Garcia was electric at the plate against Whitworth, securing NWC Hitter of the Week on Monday. The sophomore had a .667 batting average over the weekend with six RBIs and four extra base hits.
Inside the circle,
Paige Wilson,
Rachael Rhinehart, and
Rachel Treves all threw complete game shutouts.
Women's Rowing: The Lutes closed out its racing season on Sunday with the varsity eight placing fourth and the second varsity eight runner-up at the Petite Finals of the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships on Lake Natoma in Sacramento, California.
The Lutes' 1V8+ finished sixth in its first race on Saturday, covering the 2,000-meter course in 7:46.621. The 1V was back on the water on Sunday for the Petite Final, finishing fourth in 7:35.558, enjoying a nearly seven-second gap on the Arizona State University club program.
The 2V was fourth in the preliminary races on Saturday with a time of 8:44.625 before placing runner-up in the petite final with a time of 8:48.478 on Sunday.
Women's Track & Field: The Lutes sent a group of athletes to Bellingham, Washington on Saturday, competing at Western Washington University's Ralph Vernacchia Invitational.
Kyleigh Archer was runner-up in the triple jump, leaping 34 feet, 11 ¾ inches while Northwest Conference Champion
Madison Downey was fourth in the same event with a mark of 32' 0 ¾".
Abi Caprye finished fourth in the long jump, clearing four feet, 11 ¾ inches while
Alicia-Ellalynn Soliai was fourth in the shot put (41' 1 ½").
Carole Ramos had a similar finish in the discus, placing fourth with a toss of 117' 4".
Men's Track & Field: Carson Olmstead finished third overall in the javelin, pacing PLU at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational at WWU's Civic Stadium.
Olmstead was third with a throw of 186' 0". Other top finishers include
Bridger Hanis placing fifth in the high jump, clearing 5' 10 ¾" while
George Sonko was fifth in the discus with a toss of 128' 1".
Baseball: Pacific Lutheran (13-23, 8-13 NWC) looks to end the season on a high note against crosstown nemesis Puget Sound. Despite their record, the Lutes have actually won four of their seven NWC series' this season, netting wins over Willamette University, George Fox University, Lewis & Clark College, and Pacific University.
The Lutes played just one game last weekend— suffering a 4-3 setback to Division II Saint Martin's University. The game was tied heading into the bottom of the eighth before a Saints' single pushed across the winning score. PLU had the winning run in scoring position with one out but was unable to capitalize.
Super senior
Ashton Barton looks to close out his career in style. The Puyallup, Washington native sits two doubles away from tying the career doubles record of 43 while sitting fourth all-time in career at-bats and ninth in career RBIs.
