Rocky road for Lutes

Lutes go 3 for 4 against Linfield, Willamette

Brendan Abshier - abshiebk@plu.edu

Mast Sports Reporter

Pacific Lutheran University battled No. 1 Linfield and No. 3 Willamette last weekend winning one of four games.

Saturday opened with the Lutes taking Linfield to a total of 16 innings on the day.

The Wildcats started the day with a 6-0 victory over the Lutes.

“After losing the first game badly, it was obvious we weren’t playing well,” first-year Caitlin Brown said. “We had to realize they were a really good team, but that it couldn’t stop us from competing with them.”

The Lutes improved its game in the nightcap.

The Lutes jumped to an early 3-1 lead, but couldn’t close out the game smoothly.

Linfield put two runs on the board in the sixth inning to tie the game and added one more in the seventh to put them up with a 4-3 lead.

PLU answered when first-year Beth Haahr knocked a single to score sophomore Carly Starke. This tied the game 4-4.

However, the Wildcats found the scoreboard in the extra innings with two runs to give Linfield the 6-4 victory.

PLU out hit the Wildcats 14-12.

“It’s just the nature of the game,” said senior Lisa Gilbert. “There have been a few occasions this year that we have out hit our opponents and lost.”

The Lutes split the Sunday special with the Willamette Bearcats losing 6-0 in the opener and winning the nightcap 12-4.

During the nightcap, PLU hopped on Willamette’s pitcher scoring four runs in the first inning. The Lutes continued to roll and scored one more in the second and four more in the third.
Gilbert dumped a two-run double in the first inning and senior Heather Walling placed a line drive into the right field corner, turned on the jets, and earned an inside-the-park-home run.

“I think this year we seemed to have never gotten started until the second game,” Gilbert said. “It seems like it takes a while for us to internalize that, ‘Hey, we’re playing a game now.’ ”

The bottom of the fifth inning changed to the end of the game when sophomore Rachel Wheeler-Hoyt and first-year Stephanie Mullen put three RBI’s together to put the home team up 12-4.
The Lutes improved their record to 13-19 overall (10-10 NWC) with the victory. PLU stays at home next weekend for competition against Gerorge Fox Saturday and Lewis & Clark Sunday.

Photos by Chris Hunt

Top: Sophomore Rachel Wheeler-Hoyt swings at a pitch during a game this weekend against Linfield. The Lutes were able to win one of their four games.
Bottom: Senior Lisa Gilbert perpares for a play in the same game. The Lutes are now 5th in the NWC standings.