SPOKANE, Wash. – Cory Mack allowed only one hit in eight innings to help Whitworth defeat visiting Pacific Lutheran 4-0 in the second game of a Northwest Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Merkel Field.  The Lutes won the opener 3-1 behind the strong pitching of Trevor Lubking.

Whitworth is 6-8 overall and 3-2 in the NWC, while the Lutes are 11-5, 6-1.  The teams will complete the series with a single game on Sunday at noon.

Game 1 – PLU 3, Whitworth 1
Lubking threw a complete game to improve to 4-0 on the mound this season, leading the Lutes to a win in the series opener.

Lubking (4-0) gave up only three hits, including a solo home run by Nick Motsinger in the first inning.  He struck out 13 Pirate batters and walked only one.

Alec Beal hit a solo homer in the top of the first to get the Lutes on the board.  He added a sacrifice fly in the third inning to drive in PLU's second run.  Colin Nilson delivered an RBI single later in the third to complete the scoring.

Carson Blumenthal (0-2) started on the mound for Whitworth and was solid, allowing only three runs on seven hits in six innings.  Michael Renner finished up, shutting out PLU over the final three innings on two hits.

Beal finished the game 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead the Lutes at the plate.  Garrett Hughes led Whitworth with two of the Pirates' three hits.

Game 2 – Whitworth 4, PLU 0
Mack threw his best game of the season, allowing one hit over eight innings to improve to 2-2 this season.  He struck out six Lutes and walked two.

The Pirates jumped ahead early, scoring three times in the top of the first inning.  Jeremy Druffel singled in the first run, then Thomas Wakem doubled off of the wall in left field to bring home two more.

Wakem added another RBI single in the third inning to complete the scoring.

PLU had a hard time generating any momentum as Mack retired 14 out of 15 batters from the end of the third inning until one out in the eighth.  Taylor Isadore pitched the ninth for his third save of the season.

Wakem finished 2-4 with three RBIs for Whitworth.  Bo Pearson had both of PLU's hits on the day.

Chris Bishop (1-3) allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings for PLU.  Cory Nelson and Kort Skoda combined to threw three scoreless innings in relief for PLU.