WALLA WALLA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team experienced mixed results on Saturday, securing a doubleheader split on the road against Northwest Conference rival Whitman College. The Lutes had an early lead slip away in a 10-8 setback to begin the day before jumping out to a big lead in a 9-6 victory in the nightcap at Borleske Stadium.
"Game one was tough. We had a lead for most of the game and couldn't finish. Credit to Whitman, they battled all day. Game two we jumped out to an large lead and held on to win it. Lopez did an excellent job in relief while Burke, Lundberg, Beecham, and Keintz all had competitive at bats all day," said Head Coach
Nolan Soete.
Game one saw the host Blues (13-21-1, 8-12 NWC) strike first with an unearned run in the second inning. PLU (12-20, 9-11 NWC) tied the game in the third inning on a solo home run from
Ethan Keintz before seizing the lead in the fourth after scoring four runs.
Tyler Yarger had an RBI walk with the bases loaded to bring in the opening run of the inning before an error allowed both
Asa Reese and
Kaleb McNeely to score. A
Braeden Lundberg single later brought in Yarger, making it 5-1 PLU.
Whitman scored a single run in the fifth before a
Kyle Tat RBI hit in the seventh scored Lundberg, pushing the Lute lead to 6-2.
The Blues tied the game in the seventh, scoring on an error before Halen Otte belted a three-run home run to tie the game. Whitman would add four more in the eighth, building a 10-6 lead.
A
Rutger Youch single scored
Rochne Beecham in the top of the ninth before a Carosn Burke double brought in Tat to narrow the gap to just two runs. PLU had the tying run at the plate with one out but consecutive fly outs ended the rally prematurely as Whitman held on for the 10-8 win.
PLU outhit the hosts 9-8 on the day with Lundberg finishing three-for-five while Tat had a pair of hits.
Matthew Sherwood tossed the opening 6 2/3 innings, getting the no decision after striking out five and allowing just five hits.
Cole Becker was tagged with the decision, pitching 1/3 of an inning in the eighth.
PLU scored in bunches in game two, plating three in the first and six in the third to secure the doubleheader split.
Carosn Burke got things rolling with a three-run home run in the top of the first, scoring both Tat and Keintz. PLU's lead surged to 9-0 in the third inning.
Rochne Beecham got things rolling with a bases clearing double, scoring two before a McNeely groundout scored Beecham. A Ryan Morre single scored Tat before Keintz was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced, allowing Youch to walk in to make it 8-0. Moore made it a nine run Lute lead, scoring on a wild pitch.
The Blues responded with three runs in the bottom of the third and two more in the fifth inning, closing the gap to 9-5. The hosts pushed across one more in the eighth but it wasn't enough as the Lutes held on for the doubleheader split.
Keintz spearheaded the Lute offense in game two, going three-for-four with two runs scored, and was one of seven Lutes to collect a hit in the nightcap.
Osei Kimura threw the opening four frames, striking out two before giving way to
Alex Lopez who handled the final five innings. Lopez allowed just four hits and struck out five to secure the win.
The Lutes and Blues resume the series tomorrow with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
