PLU Baseball vs. Pacific 2023 Pacific Lutheran University Baseball Digital Game Program

About the Lutes: PLU (6-5, 1-2 NWC) had the weekend off after a midweek snowstorm buried Linfield University's field in snow. The Lutes had opened NWC play back on Feb. 18, thrashing Lewis & Clark 9-3. Ethan Keintz and Lukas Delisle led the Lutes at the plate, both collecting three hits while Spencer Howell was dialed in on the hill, striking out five in seven innings of work.

PLU's fortunes were reversed in game two of the day, yielding five runs in the eighth inning in a 7-2 setback. On Sunday, the Lutes led 8-4 heading into the seventh before surrendering 10 runs over the next two frames as L&C took the series with a 15-11 win. The Pios closed the weekend with a 14-2 non-conference win at the Lutes' expense.

PLU is hitting .337 at the plate through the opening 11 games. Andy Schmitz leads the way, hitting .435 with nine extra base hits. VCU transfer Aaron Barber is hitting at a .400 clip with a team-high 14 RBIs with Ashton Barton smashing a team-leading eight doubles.

Cole Trotignon has been a workhorse on the mound, leading the team in innings pitched (17) with a 3.71 earned run average. Landon Day has a team-high 16 strikeouts in his debut season at PLU while Spencer Howell has a 2-1 record with 15 punch outs. In the pen, Chris Moreno leads the team with two saves.

About the Boxers: Pacific (4-5, 1-2 NWC) opened league play back on Feb. 18, dropping two of three to Willamette in Salem. The host Bearcats cranked out an 11-9 win in the opener before collecting a 9-4 victory in game two for the doubleheader sweep.

Pacific avoided the series sweep the following day, smashing Willamette 10-1 with Will Clark striking out eight and allowing just one hit in seven innings of action.

Pacific has 16 home runs on the year with eight of those coming off the bats of CJ Colyer (4) and Andrew Thomas (4). Thomas additionally leads the team with 14 RBIs. Dawson Tokishi has a team-best .476 batting average while Ty Yukumoto has eight stolen bases on the year.

Clark leads the Boxers in ERA (1.13), wins (2), innings pitched (16), and strikeouts (19), having held opposing batters to a .133 average. Jackson Price is the only other pitcher with double digit innings under their belt, having tossed 11 innings with six punch outs and a 4.91 ERA.

NWC Coaches' Poll

The Northwest Conference released its annual preseason coaches' poll on Jan. 31 with PLU picked to finish third.

The Lutes sit third overall in the preseason poll after collecting 49 points. Defending NWC Champion Pacific University sits atop the poll with 63 points and seven of the nine first-place votes. Linfield University is second in the rankings with 52 points and one first place vote while George Fox University rounds out the top four with 45 points and the remaining first place endorsement.

Willamette University is fifth with 37 points followed by Lewis & Clark College and Whitman College tied for sixth with 24 points. University of Puget Sound was picked eighth with 20 points followed by Whitworth University in ninth (10 points).

Trailblazing NIL the D3 Way: PLU Athletics continues to lead the way nationally in Name, Image, and Likeness, unveiling the Luteville Marketplace on August 31 through the department's partnership with Opendorse. Learn more about the deal here: LINK. But don't stay on the sidelines, get involved and connect with PLU student-athletes on the Luteville Marketplace: LINK

The Luteville Marketplace is the first dedicated NIL marketplace in Division III on the Opendorse platform that directly connects student-athletes with fans, supporters, and business partners in an easy to use website.

New Look Lutemobile for 2023

The new Lutemobile is here! During the first week in January, the Lutes' bus partner Bellair Charters, unveiled its newest PLU branded bus as it took the men's and women's hoops teams to Oregon.