BOX SCORE
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Lewis & Clark baseball team fell in its final game of the season, losing Pacific Lutheran 9-8 after the Pioneers late game comeback fell short.
Senior Michael Ball finished his final gmae 3-for-5 from the plate, scoring twice, while knocking in four of the Pioneers eight runs. Junior Geoff Wertz ended the day 2-for-6 from the plate, scoring twice.
Pacific Lutheran got on the board first with three runs in the second inning. Lewis & Clark pulled within a run in the bottom of the third with a two RBI single to right center that brought in Wertz and Jake Costantino.
The Pioneers took a 4-3 advantage in the fifth inning on a two-run homerun from junior Nick Lavin that also brought in Ball.
The Lutes tied the contest at 4-4 in the top of the next inning. PLU put together a three run seventh inning to recapture the lead, starting with the Pioneers hitting a batter with the bases loaded for a Lute run. Brock Gates then picked up two RBI's with a single to right field.
Two runs in the ninth inning increased the Lute lead to 9-4 starting with an RBI dobule from Gates. Bo Pearson knocked in the final Lute run with a single to the shortstop.
Lewis & Clark put together a strong bottom half of the ninth with Wertz leading off the inning with a single. Parker Dane then reached base on a Lute error, followed by a two RBI single up the middle by Ball. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Lewis & Clark. Things got worse for the Lutes as the pitcher allowed a run to come in on a balk. Down by two, a bases loaded walk to Costantino brought the Pios within a run. The Lutes were able to get out of the inning with a shallow fly out to end the game.
