March 8, 2008

Bleecker Pitches Lutes to Win But Boxers Earn Split

Robert Bleecker - wins Sunday opener

Matt Akridge - two homers in the series

PORTLAND, Ore. - Robert Bleecker had a strong pitching outing to lead Pacific Lutheran to a win in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader, but two home runs by Matt Hendryx in the second game helped Pacific earn a split with the Lutes in Northwest Conference baseball action at Joe Etzel Field.

Bleecker limited Pacific to just four hits in six innings as the Lutes (5-6-2, 3-5 NWC) cruised to 10-2 victory in the seven-inning opener. Hendryx's round trippers, his fourth and fifth of the season, led Pacific (5-7, 4-4 NWC) to a come-from-behind 8-7 victory in seven innings.

In the first game, the Lutes turned a lead-off walk to Kris Hansen into the game's first run in the second inning when Hansen scored on a Ryan Arakaki ground out, but the Boxers scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead.

The Lutes broke the game open with a four-run third inning. Hansen hit a single to left that scored Josh Takayoshi and Carl Benton. Brandon Sales then laid down a bunt and advanced to third on an errant throw to first, with Hansen scoring from first on the play. Matt Akridge followed with a single that scored Sales and gave the Lutes a 5-2 advantage.

PLU added two in the sixth on a pair of error-aided runs. Akridge opened the frame with a single and Ryan Aratani followed with a single, and a throwing error allowed the runners to
advance to second and third. Two batters later, Tyler Goarck singled to left to score Akridge and the ball caromed off the glove of the left fielder Tolbert, allowing Aratani to score. The Lutes added three more in the seventh on a wild pitch and a two-run single by Ben Shively.

Bleecker earned the win for the Lutes, allowing the two runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in six innings of work. Reed took his first loss of the season, allowing five runs, three earned, on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 2. 2/3 innings. Akridge and Goarck each had two hits to lead PLU.

Pacific Lutheran opened the second game by rattling Pacific starter Brandon Larson for five runs in the second inning. Shively opened scoring with a single that scored Brandon Sales and Goarck followed with a double, scoring Akridge. After Aratani was hit by pitch to load the
bases, Jordan Post drew a bases-loaded walk to score Shively. Hansen followed with a two-run double that plated Goarck and Aratani.

Hendryx connected in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to center field. He homered again in the fourth, hammering a three-run shot to left field for his fifth homer of the season to bring the Boxers within a run.

The Lutes took one back in the fifth thanks to back-to-back triples by Akridge and Andrew Hernandez, but the Boxers took the lead for good in the home half of the frame. McNeely started by doubling to score Johnston. With runners on second and third, the Lutes elected to walk Hendryx and pitch to Kaeo Lau Hee, then proceeded to issue him a bases-loaded walk.

The Boxers then performed a perfect suicide squeeze as Korey Yost laid the bunt down along the third base line to score McNeely with the go-ahead run.

Jeff Johnston added an insurance run in the sixth, scoring from second on a dropped fly ball. The run proved important as Akridge hit his second home run of the series to open the seventh, a solo shot to left field against Pacific reliever Kyle Barksdale. Barksdale retired the next three batters to earn his first save of the season.

Larson picked up the victory for Pacific, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings of work. PLU starter Brett Brunner took the loss, allowing seven runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Gantenbein and Hendryx each had two hits for Pacific, while Hansen and Akridge posted two hits each for PLU.

Pacific Lutheran returns home and will host Lewis & Clark in a four-game series next weekend.

(Courtesy of Pacific Sports Information Office.)