March 26, 2007

Lutes Finish Conference Sweep of Lewis & Clark

Line Score

Brandon Sales - three hits, three RBI

Brett Brunner - picks up third win

PORTLAND, Ore. - Pacific Lutheran completed a three-game Northwest Conference baseball sweep of Lewis & Clark on Monday, defeating the Pioneers, 10-5, at the Huston Sports Complex.

The win was Pacific Lutheran's seventh in a row, tying their previous season best for consecutive victories. With 14 wins in their last 16 games, the Lutes are now 17-5 for the season and 7-2 in the conference.

PLU holds down second place and hosts defending champion and conference-leading George Fox (11-1) in a three-game series this weekend. Before those games, however, the Lutes play non-conference contests on Tuesday at Saint Martin's and on Wednesday at home against Puget Sound.

Monday's game was delayed by 30 minutes because of a heavy rain that hit the Lewis & Clark campus just before lineups were exchanged. The game got underway, but the rains returned in the bottom of the first, causing a 32-minute stoppage in play.

The Lutes scored an unearned run in the second inning to stake PLU starter Brett Brunner to an early 1-0 lead. Justin Whitehall singled, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Brandon Sales. PLU added four more unearned runs in the fifth. Roger Guzman led off the inning, getting aboard on a Pioneer fielding error. With two outs, Tyler Green drove in a run with a single and Whitehall followed with a run-scoring double. Sales, who hit a grand slam to break open Sunday's second game, came to the plate for the second time in the series with the bases loaded, this time bringing home one run with a base hit. Jared Simon knocked in the fourth run of the inning with a single, giving the Lutes a 5-0 advantage.

PLU extended its lead to 6-0 on a solo homer by Jordan Post, his second of the season, in the sixth inning. The Lutes added four more unearned runs in the eighth inning, with Sales providing another bases-loaded hit to drive in one run during the frame.

Sales led PLU's 12-hit attack with three hits and three runs batted in, and Whitehall added a pair of hits.

Of the 15 runs scored in the game, only two were earned. Lewis & Clark committed three errors and the Lutes made one miscue. Brunner improved his pitching record to 3-2, allowing five hits, walking three and striking out six in 7 2/3 innings. Brunner gave up four runs, none of which were earned. Joe Fogarty did the mop-up work, pitching the final 1 1/3 innings.

- PLU -