MCMINNVILLE, Ore. — A pair of nailbiters didn't go the Lutes way on Friday with the Pacific Lutheran University baseball team coming up short 7-6 and 7-5 in a Northwest Conference twinbill against Linfield University at Roy Helser Field. 

A walkoff single doomed the Lutes (9-11, 7-7 NWC) in a wild game one to open the weekend series with the Wildcats (17-9, 9-2 NWC).

Brody Phinney opened the scoring in the second inning, hitting a single to left field to score Rutger Youch. Host Linfield answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the second. A Carson Burke sacrifice fly scored Braeden Lundberg in the top of the third inning but it was s short lived lead with the Wildcats tying the game in the bottom of the frame.
 
Linfield plated three in the fourth inning but the Lutes battled back with a Phinney single scoring Youch in the sixth before a Lundberg base knock plated Phinney to close the gap to 5-4. 

The Cats increased their lead with a solo shot in the sixth but a Kyle Tat single to center field in the eighth tied the game after both Lundberg and Rochne Beecham scored.

The bases were loaded with two outs in the ninth with pinch hitter Jackson Bui stepping into the batter's box. Bui hit an infield single that he was able to leg out, allowing the winning run to touch home plate.

PLU cranked out 11 hits in the opener with Phinney leading the way going four-for-four. Tat and Lundberg both collected a pair of hits.
 
Matthew Sherwood and Chris Moreno combined for 12 strikeouts on the day. Sherwood tossed the opening 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight while Moreno handled the final 3 1/3 innings and was ultimately saddled with the pitching decision.

The Lutes wasted little time getting on the board in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. An Asa Reese sacrifice fly scored Ethan Keintz before a Tat single brought in Carson Burke. Kaleb McNeely made it 3-0, drawing a bases loaded walk to score Tat.

Linfield seized the lead the following inning, getting a solo home run and a bases clearing double to take a 4-3 lead. The Wildcats went yard again in the sixth inning, pushing their advantage to 5-3 before a Phinney double scored Burke in the seventh to once again make it a one-run game. Linfield added a tun in the seventh before a McNeely sacrifice fly scored Beecham in the eighth, narrowing the margin to 6-5. Linfield scored a run on a wild pitch in the eight and retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to secure the sweep.

Keintz led the Lutes at the plate in game two with a pair of hits while Burke scored twice and McNeely drove in two runs.

PLU's four pitchers combined for eight strikeouts. Connor Tutino was saddled with the decision, tossing the opening inning. Osei Kimura racked up four strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings of relief work while Cole Becker had two punchouts in his one inning of work.

The Lutes and Wildcats close out the series tomorrow at noon.