TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team outslugged crosstown rival University of Puget Sound 10-5 in the opener on Saturday but ran out of gas in game two, falling 2-0 as the visiting Loggers snatched the final spot in the 2026 Northwest Conference Tournament.
PLU (13-23, 10-13 NWC) entered the weekend needing a three-game sweep to secure the final spot in the NWC Tournament while the Loggers (22-14, 13-9 NWC) needed to win just one of the three games this weekend to punch a spot in the four team jamboree being held next weekend in Spokane.
The Lutes building an early 5-0 lead in the opener, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning and adding three more in the third.
Carson Burke got things started with an RBI single up the middle to score
Ethan Keintz in the bottom of the first.
Rutger Youch would double the Lute lead, reaching on an RBI fielder's choice to score Braden Lundberg.
Youch was at it again in the third, belting an RBI double to score Burke before getting RBI singles from both
Brody Phinney and
Asa Reese.
The Loggers got on the board in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly before Burke and
Rochne Beecham belted back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the inning, installing a 7-1 Lute advantage.
Puget Sound narrowed the gap to just a pair of runs with a grand slam in the fifth but PLU would respond with a
Kaleb McNeely solo home run in the fifth before adding two more on a Logger throwing error in the bottom of the seventh.
Burke finished three-for-five with two RBIs and two runs scored while Reese collected a pair of hits on a day nine different Lutes registered a base hit.
Matthew Sherwood earned the win, tossing five innings and striking out five while allowing just one walk.
Alex Lopez tossed the final four frames, striking out three and allowing no runs to net the save.
Neither team was able to manufacture a run through the opening five innings of game two. The Loggers finally broke through in the sixth, getting on the board on a ground rule double before adding another run in the top of the seventh.
PLU's five hits came from five different players with Lundberg getting on base via a hit and a walk in the nightcap.
Osei Kimura was saddled with the decision, striking out four and allowing just two runs over 7 1/3 innings. Lopez closed out the game, tossing the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing no hits and striking out two.
The Lutes and Loggers resume the series tomorrow with another doubleheader. Game three of the NWC series will begin at noon with a non-conference game to follow after the conclusion of game three.
