Setting the Scene: The Pacific Lutheran University Athletic Department wraps up spring break with plenty of action around Tacoma. Baseball and softball host doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday while the Lute track & field teams make the short trip across town for the University of Puget Sound's Peyton Shotwell Invitational. Men's and women's golf begins next week on the road, both competing at the George Fox Invitational. 

SATURDAY:
T&F at Peyton Shotwell Invitational in Tacoma, Wash. (11 a.m.)
BB hosts Willamette (DH) at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
SB hosts Puget Sound (DH) at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
SUNDAY:
SB hosts Puget Sound (DH) at PLU Field (11 a.m.)
BB hosts Willamette (DH) at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
MONDAY:
GOLF at George Fox Invitational in Mollala, Ore. (Arrowhead Golf Club)
TUESDAY:
GOLF at George Fox Invitational in Mollala, Ore. (Arrowhead Golf Club)

Women's Golf: The Lutes were dialed in on Sunday afternoon at Tumwater Valley Golf Course, earning a dual match win over host South Puget Sound Community College by 14 strokes.

Jayda Thomas spearheaded the Lutes, winning medalist honors after shooting a round of 78. That round included 10 pars and one birdie and on Monday Thomas was tabbed the Northwest Conference Golfer of the Week. Emily Alicea placed second overall, shooting an 80. 
 
PLU finished with a team score of 247 with the Clippers shooting a 261. Scores from three different golfers counted in the team score for both squads.

Men's Golf: The PLU men found similar success against SPSCC, winning its dual with the Clippers by 17 strokes with Koen Solis earning medalist honors.
 
Solis was named the NWC Golfer of the Week on Monday after winning the event with a four-under 68. That round included five birdies and 12 pars with four of those birdies coming on the back nine. Marcus Otto was runner-up with a 72 while Soren Bostrom, Tyler Maag, and Luke Pendergraft tied for third with a 76.

PLU tallied a scire of 291 with the Clippers shooting a 308. Both teams had four players count towards the team standings. 

Softball: Pacific Lutheran (14-6, 6-2 NWC) heads into its weekend series against University of Puget Sound in a three-way tie for first place in the conference standings. 

The Lutes swept Pacific University over the weekend before earning a split with Lewis & Clark College during the week to sit tied with defending champion Linfield University and Lewis & Clark with a 6-2 record.

The Lutes needed extra innings to top the Boxers in the opener, prevailing 8-6 in nine innings last Saturday before netting a 14-4 victory in game two. On Sunday, the Lutes rolled 7-2 and 5-3 and continued that success into Wednesday with 4-1 and 7-6 wins over Lewis & Clark.
 
The tide turned on Thursday, dropping two nailbiters by identical 5-4 scores.

Paola Garcia has been on fire at the plate to start the season, hitting .500 with 29 RBIs, five home runs, and 12 extra base hits. Jaycie Simpliciano has been equally as impressive with a .554 on-base percentage and a .490 batting average. 

Inside the circle, Maiya Anderson continues to be lights out with 42 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings with a 5-1 record and a 1.85 earned run average. Opposing hitters are hitting just .173 this season against Anderson in her nine appearances. 

Baseball: The Lutes (6-8, 4-5 NWC) head into its series with Willamette University having won three of their last four games. Pacific Lutheran opened its series with Pacific University last Saturday with a pair of 7-6 extra innings victories. Brody Phinney drove in Asa Reese for the winning run in the 11th inning in the series opener before Carson Burke provided the fireworks in game two, allowing Rutger Youch to score the decisive run in the top of the 11th.

Logan Egge was dialed in on the mound, coming in relief and earning the win in both games. Egge was tabbed NWC Pitcher of the Week on Monday after pitching 4 1/3 innings and allowing just one hit during that stretch.

PLU was unable to earn the sweep, falling 6-4 on Sunday but rebounded on Wednesday afternoon, steamrolling George Fox University 13-3 in a game Kaleb McNeely had three hits and three RBIs. 

Women's Lacrosse: PLU (2-6) closed out its non-conference schedule this week, splitting a pair of home games against Midwest opponents. The Lutes turned in their best defensive effort in program history in a nailbiting 7-5 win over Lawrence University on Monday before stumbling 21-3 on Wednesday to Kalamazoo College.

The Lute defense put the clamps on the Vikings on Monday, allowing just two goals in the opening three quarters en route to the win. Taylee Alldredge and Emily Mejia both scored a pair of goals in the fourth quarter to secure the win in a game PLU set a school record for fewest goals allowed.
 
On Wednesday, PLU's three goals came from three different Lutes with Paige Hackman, Peyton Terhar, and Katrina Moran all finding the back of the net. 

Women's Track & Field: The Lutes hosted their second and final home meet of the season last Saturday, winning two events at the Brad Moore Invitational.

Abi Caprye won the high jump after leaping five feet, one ¾ inches while Archer was top dog in the triple jump with a winning mark of 36' 0 ¾". For Archer, it's the second straight week she has won the triple jump.

On the track, Soukhanya Waters was second in the 400-meter dash in one minute, 4.27 seconds while Maddie Mitchell (1,500-meters), Jessalyn Robles (800-metres), and Addisen Hering (100-meter hurdles).

Men's Track & Field: A pair of seniors made their mark in their final home meet, winning events at the Brad Moore Invitational.
 
Senior Seth Kramer took top billing in the long jump with a winning leap of 22' 0 ¾" while fellow senior Bridger Hanis claimed first in the high jump with a clearance of 6' 3 ½".

On the track, Noah Friedrich was fourth in the 5,000-meters, finishing the 12 ½ lap race in 15:42.92. 
 
Women's Rowing: The Lutes took on boathouse nemesis University of Puget Sound on Saturday morning in the 48th edition of the Lamberth Cup. Pacific Lutheran had a late surge but came up just short, finishing the 2,000-meter race on American Lake in 7:24.5, finishing a half second off the Loggers.

PLU's second varsity eight raced for the first time this spring, finishing runner-up in its race against Puget Sound with a time of 8:36.8. The Lutes take the rest of the month off before heading to the East Coast to race on April 11 & 12. 

Academic Attaways: College Sports Communicators (CSC) released its Academic All-District winners for the sports of men's and women's basketball on Tuesday with eight Lutes earning the award.

Sydney Reisner won CSC Academic All-District for the third straight season while Ben Tellez and Henry Smith secure the honor for the second time in their careers. First time selections include Caleb Berry, Kylie Griffin, Charlie Kapranos, Ghadir Ramadan, and Emi Wada.