Baseball - Pacific Lutheran University

Feb. 23, 2007

Green Hits Three Homers, Lutes Defeat British Columbia in Slugfest

Tyler Green - three homers, seven RBI

Jared Simon - clutch game-winning single

NEWBERG, Ore. – Pacific Lutheran rallied from an early 14-8 deficit, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat University of British Columbia, 18-16, in the Yamhill County Baseball Classic at Morse Field.

Tyler Green, a senior outfielder from Fairfield, Calif., broke a Pacific Lutheran single-game record with three home runs, and he drove in seven runs. Still, the Lutes, who improved to 5-3 this season, needed a two-run, two-out single from Jared Simon in the ninth inning for the winning runs.

Lots of crooked numbers went on the scoreboard in the first three innings as the Lutes scored three in the first, two in the second and three more in the third inning. British Columbia did the Lutes six runs better, scoring five in the first, two in the second and seven times in the third inning to take a 14-8 lead.

PLU pitcher Matt Keller, who struggled in relief in the third, recorded scoreless innings in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to keep the Lutes in the game. The offense responded and the Lutes took the lead, 15-14, with a six-run seventh inning, highlighted by Green’s third homer of the game. The three-run shot to straightaway center field was Green's fifth home run this season.

UBC regained the advantage by scoring single tallies in the seventh and eighth innings, leading to the Lutes’ game-winning rally in the ninth. Kris Hansen singled to left field with two outs to tie the score, and after a walk to Brandon Sales loaded the bases, Simon smashed a one-hopper up the middle to give the Lutes an 18-16 lead.

Justin Whitehall, an outfielder who in 2006 led the Lutes with five saves, worked a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two batters, to notch his first save of the 2007 campaign.

Simon and Sales both collected four hits to lead Pacific Lutheran’s 18-hit attack, and Simon drove in five runs. Dylan Stanford picked up the pitching win for the Lutes, improving his record to 1-0.

- PLU -