Feb. 11, 2007

Guzman Leads 14-Hit Attack, Lutes Thump Loggers, 12-6

Game Linescore

TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran baseball team improved to 3-0 this season after beating cross-town rival, Puget Sound, on Sunday afternoon. Pacific Lutheran collected 14 hits and outscored the host team, 12-6, in a non-conference game at Logger Field.

After the Loggers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Lutes scored three times in the second to take a 3-1 lead. Bryce Depew singled to score Tim Young for the first run, and Roger Guzman doubled to drive in the other two runs.

The Lutes broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on five hits and one error to take a 7-1 lead. Guzman, who had two doubles among his three hits, led off the inning with a sharp single into right field. Ryan Thorne, Justin Whitehall, Tim Young and Bryce Depew all drove in a run in the uprising.

UPS got two of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but the Lutes added another run in the top of the seventh when Tyler Green hit a home run down the left field line to stretch the lead to 8-3. The Lutes added three runs in the eighth inning on three hits. Jordan Post singled to drive in one run and Depew drew a bases-loaded walk for his third RBI of the game. The other run scored on a balk. PLU closed out its scoring when Logan Andrews hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth for the game’s final tally.

Thorne, Andrews, Young and Post each had a pair of hits to join Guzman in the multi-hit category. Of PLU’s 14 hits, six went for extra bases.

Joe DiPietro picked up the win for the Lutes, pitching the fifth and sixth innings in relief of starter Brett Brunner. Justin Whitehall, the final of five PLU pitchers, entered the game in ninth inning to shut down any dreams of a Logger come back.

The Lutes will hit the road next week, playing games against a foursome of California schools - Redlands, Cal Lutheran, Whittier, and La Verne – in Anthem, Ariz.

- PLU -