PARKLAND, Wash. – The Whitworth University baseball team saw two big leads get away at Pacific Lutheran on Saturday. Jacob Bockelie's home run in the 13th inning gave PLU a 6-5 win in the opener. The second game was suspended by darkness following the seventh inning with the Lutes leading 15-7 after rallying from an early 7-2 deficit.
Whitworth dropped to 10-8 overall and 5-2 in the NWC with the loss in Saturday's opener. PLU improved to 10-8 and 8-2.
The teams will complete Saturday's second game at 11:30 am on Sunday before playing the series finale.
Game 1 – PLU 6, Whitworth 5 (13 Innings)
Bockelie's home run capped the Lutes' comeback from a 5-2 deficit heading to the bottom of the ninth inning as the Pirates could not close out a strong pitching performance from starter Hugh Smith.
PLU scored first on an RBI single by Marques Carlson in the bottom of the fourth inning. Taylor Poffenroth tied the game for Whitworth in the top of the fifth when his single drove in Casey Isa.
The Bucs added three runs in the sixth. Ben Wintringer dropped a two-run single into centerfield to drive in the first two runs. Wintringer came around to score on a ground out by Cael McKeirnan.
The Lutes got back within 4-2 on a Max Cummings RBI single in the eighth. But Joel Condreay answered with an RBI double in the top of the ninth to give the Pirates a 5-2 lead.
Bocklie's RBI single got PLU within 5-3 and Carlson followed with a two-run single up the middle with two outs to tie the game.
It wasn't until the fourth extra frame that either team scored. Bockelie drove a one-out home run over the left field wall to give the Lutes the win.
Smith went 7.2 innings and allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts, but did not factor in the decision. Darren Crosby and Joel Condreay combined to allow the three runs in the ninth that tied the game. Matthew Pulliam (0-1) threw the final 3.1 innings for the Pirates and was saddled with the loss despite allowing only one run on three hits.
Chad Gideon started on the hill for PLU and gave up four runs on eight hits in five innings. Alex Gregory (4-0) picked up the win in relief with four shutout innings.
Tyler Bailey had four hits and Spencer Locati added three to lead Whitworth at the plate. Wintringer was the only Pirate with more than one RBI.
Game 2 – PLU Leads 15-7 through seven innings (suspended by darkness)
The Lutes lead thanks to four RBIs each from Connor Cantu and Cole Johnson, along with three RBIs from both Anthony Goselin and Adam Stump.
Janson Pederson has thrown 3.1 innings of hitless relief of Johnson, who started on the mound for PLU, allowing the Lutes to rally from a 7-2 deficit through three and a half innings.
JT Phelan and Nicholas Nerud have two RBIs apiece for the Pirates. Phelan is 3-4 at the plate in the second game.
