MCMINNVILLE, Ore. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team erased a six-run deficit only to surrender a late run to the Northwest Conference preseason favorites, ending on the wrong side of a 7-6 scoreline to host Linfield University on Friday at Roy Helser Field.

The host Wildcats (1-0) struck first, scratching across two runs in the first inning on a two-out double before adding four more in the second, including three runs on a Hunter Klingelhoffer home run to make it a 6-0 Linfield advantage.

The Lutes (1-2) chipped away at the lead in the third inning, getting singles from Rutger Youch and Aaron Barber to open the inning. Ethan Keintz made the Wildcats pay, blasting a three-run home run to make it a 6-3 game.

In the fourth, Youch singled in Rochne Beecham who led off the frame by drawing a walk. Later in the frame, an Keintz sacrifice fly made it a one-run game, plating Braeden Lundberg who got on base earlier in the inning on a base hit.

Brody Phinney singled to left center field with one out in the fifth inning, later scoring on a Beecham outfield single to tie the game. Linfield reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth, with a two-out single making it 7-6 in favor of the hosts. 

PLU had a base runner 90 feet away from tying the game in the top of the seventh but was unable to cash it in as Linfield kept the Lutes off the scoreboard the final four innings to preserve the win.

"The guys did a great job battling back to tie that game," said Head Coach Nolan Soete.

"Outside of the first two innings we did well on the mound and had competitive at bats all day."

Ethan Keintz puts the Lutes on the board and back in the game with a 3-run blast, his first of the season.@PLUBaseball @GoLutes pic.twitter.com/0UqHDZxHXv

— PNW College Baseball Report (@PNW_CBR) February 21, 2025

PLU outhit the hosts 10-9 and have outhit its opponents all three games this season. Linfield entered the game as the NWC preseason favorites according to the annual coaches' poll released earlier this week. 

Phinney led the team at the plate with three hits and one runs scored while Keintz finished with four RBIs. Youch was the only other Lute with multiple hits, going two-for-five with an RBI and a run scored.

Chris Moreno was saddled with the decision, tossing 4 2/3 innings of long relief, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out six. Charlie Olson and Logan Egge handled the final six outs, combining to strike out four and allow no hits. 

The Lutes are back on the diamond tomorrow morning, facing reigning Northwest Conference Champion Whitman College at 11 a.m. in McMinnville, Oregon.