SEATTLE, Wash. — David beat Goliath. It wasn't with a slingshot on Tuesday night but with a big night on the mound and at the plate. Playing the role of David was the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team, scoring early, including a solo home run from
Ethan Keintz in a 3-1 non-conference victory over Division I University of Washington.
"I'm really happy for our players. This will be one of those games they will remember forever," said Head Coach
Nolan Soete.
"We set the tone on the mound. Moreno, Swartz, and Sherwood were excellent today. Keintz and Beecham provided the offense and we were able to minimize damage defensively in the third inning. Overall it was a great team effort and I'm proud of my guys."
Relishing the chance to be underdogs on the road against a Big Ten Conference opponent, the Lutes (6-6) capitalized on their early opportunities. Starting pitcher
Chris Moreno retired the Huskies (8-13) first three batters of the game, including a strikeout looking to end the first.
PLU provided some fireworks offensively in the second inning, stringing together consecutive doubles to seize an early 2-0 advantage.
Brody Phinney reached base on a tough-to-field ball before advancing to third on an
Ethan Keintz double down the left field line.
Rochne Beecham cleared the bases with a double down the right field line the next at bat, giving the Lutes a two-run cushion.
Washington was three-up, three-down again in the second before pushing across a run in the third. The Huskies had a chance to score more with the bases loaded and no outs but Moreno worked out of the jam, recording three straight outs to enjoy a 2-1 lead after three innings of action.
Keintz added to the Lute lead in the fourth, belting a two-out home run over the left center field wall, his second round tripper of the 2025 season.
The homestanding Huskies had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh but
Kamryn Swartz escaped the inning unscathed, posting his fourth consecutive shutout inning. Washington had two men on in the bottom of the ninth but a groundout to Braden Lundberg ended the Huskies hopes, giving PLU the upset win.
Keintz was on fire at the plate, finishing three-for-four with two runs scored while Beecham had a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs.
It was a group effort on the mound with Moreno, Swartz, and Matt Sherwood combining for six strikeouts while allowing just one run. Moreno earned the win, striking out two in three innings of action while Swartz tossed the middle four innings, scattering three hits and striking out two. Sherwood tallied the save, allowing two hits and striking out two and recording the final six outs.
Tuesday was the first meeting between the Lutes and Huskies since 2001. That game saw now Head Coach
Nolan Soete score the game's opening run before the host Huskies snuck away with a walkoff 4-3 win.
The Lutes return to Husky Ballpark tomorrow evening for another showdown with Washington. First pitch is set for 5:02 p.m.
