CLAREMIONT, Calif. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team proved it can hang with some of the nation's best, opening the 2025 season with a doubleheader split against eighth-ranked Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. PLU left runs on the table in a 10-2 setback in the opener before pouncing early and often in an 11-7 victory in the nightcap at Alumni Field. 
 
Rutger Youch scored both of PLU's runs in the opener, a game that saw the Lutes (1-1) strand 11 runners on base against the nationally-ranked Sagehens who were one of eight teams to play in the NCAA Division III College World Series last spring.

PLU cranked out 10 hits in the game— the same amount of Pomona-Pitzer— but mustered just a pair of runs for the effort. The host Sagehens (3-2) scored twice in the first inning, first on a sacrifice fly and later on a passed ball before adding five more runs in the second on a pair of home runs.

A Youch solo home run to center field got PLU on the board in the fifth inning but Pomona-Pitzer added three more runs in the eighth. An Aaron Barber outfield single scored Youch in the ninth inning but the Sagehens got out of the inning to secure the 10-2 win.

Barber finished three-for-five at the plate with an RBI while Youch was two-for-three with two runs scored. Braeden Lundberg also had two hits in his return to the lineup after sitting out all of last spring with an injury.

Kamryn Swartz was saddled with the decision, tossing the opening 1 2/3 innings and striking out two. Jon Crawley had five innings of long relief, surrendering just one run and striking out four. 
 
PLU vented its frustration on Pomona-Pitzer in the first inning of game two, exploding for eight runs, capitalizing on a Sagehen staff that struggled to find the zone. Pomona-Pitzer walked six batters and hit two more, opening the floodgates for the PLU offense that also had an RBI single from Youch and a two-RBI single from Barber.   
 
The Lutes made it a 10-0 gap in the third inning with a pair of runs off the bats of Ethan Keintz and Carson Burke. 
 
The Sagehens scored single runs in the third and fourth innings before adding two more in the fifth. Brody Phinney made it 11-4 PLU in the sixth, scoring on a wild pitch. The Sagehens attempted to claw back, scoring two in the bottom of the sixth and one in the eighth but it wasn't enough as the Lutes upset the nation's eighth ranked squad 11-7 to salvage a doubleheader split. 

"Game one we had a rough first two innings and Crawley came in and did a good job keeping it competitive until late in the game. Pomona did well hitting with runners in scoring position, especially with two outs," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.

"Our offense had a great start in game two and we were able to hold on for the win. Sherwood did a good job setting the tone on the mound and Egge did a great job closing it out. Overall, we surrendered too many free passes today, but we showed some toughness grinding against a very good Pomona team. Youch had quality at bats all day and it was nice to see Lundberg and Keintz on the field again. The team did a good job bouncing back to win game two and secure a split on the road and I'm proud of their response."
 
Matthew Sherwood tossed the opening four innings, striking out three before Chris Moreno tossed the next two frames. Wyatt Norris handled the seventh, netting one punchout while Logan Egge collected the final six outs, allowing no hits, one walk, and striking out two. 

Ethan Keintz had two hits and a walk while Youch, Phinney, and Rochne Beecham all scored a pair of runs to lead the Lute offense that manufactured 11 runs on just six hits.

The Lutes are back on the diamond on Friday, facing off against Linfield University in a non-conference showdown in McMinnville, Oregon.