TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team had its home opener spoiled on Sunday, dropping both ends of a Northwest Conference doubleheader to George Fox University. The Lutes fell 7-3 in game one before getting unseated 5-2 in the nightcap at PLU Field.
The Bruins (7-9, 5-3 NWC) struck first in game one, stringing together three straight infield singles to load the bases to open the game before a single through the left side brought in two runs.
Rochne Beecham led off the bottom of the first by drawing a walk. Beecham advancing two bags on a wild pitch before scoring on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt, closing the gap to 2-1.
George Fox added to its lead in the top of the seventh, scoring two more to post a 4-1 advantage.
The Lutes (3-7, 1-4 NWC) broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases after consecutive hits and a hit batter, but the Bruins refused to buckle, striking out three consecutive batters to escape the frame unscathed.
The Bruins tacked on three more runs in the ninth, getting two on a bases clearing triple, before adding another on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-1.
Pacific Lutheran wouldn't go down without a fight with
Ethan Keintz leading off the bottom of the ninth with an infield single. Keintz advanced to third on an
Asa Reese double before both scored on a
Grayson Meier single. PLU had two on later in the inning before a double play ended the comeback attempt, giving George Fox the 7-3 win.
PLU's five hits came from five different players and all during the final two innings of play.
Alex Lopez was saddled with the decision, tossing 7 2/3 innings, including five straight scoreless frames. Lopez tossed 115 pitches and struck out three.
Cole Miller collected the final four outs, racking up two strikeouts.
GFU's Lucas Plenert was dialed in, striking out nine and allowing just one hit in seven innings of work.
The Bruins struck first in game two, capitalizing on a pair of Lute errors to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning. GFU stretched the lead to 5-0 in the fifth but the Lutes battled back in the bottom of the frame.
Kyle Tat led off the inning with a single, later scoring on a
Brody Phinney single up the middle. The Lutes loaded the bases and had the tying run at the plate but a pop-up ended the rally early as the Bruins escaped the inning with no further damage.
Asa Reese added to the Lute tally in the seventh, blasting his third home run of the season to make it 5-2 but the Lutes were unable to manufacture any more runs, stranding runners on base in each of the final three innings.
Seven Lutes finished with a hit in game two with Reese leading the way going two-for-four.
Matthew Sherwood was tagged with the decision, going six innings and striking out five.
Osei Kimura tossed three innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits and striking out two.
Pacific Lutheran hits the road next weekend, heading to Forest Grove, Oregon for a three-game series with Pacific University.
