PARKLAND, Wash. – In Northwest Conference action across town on Sunday afternoon, the University of Puget Sound baseball team avoided a three-game sweep against Pacific Lutheran with a wild comeback in the nightcap. The Loggers scored nine runs in the final three frames to take the game 9-5 but fell 6-5 in extra innings in the early game.

Puget Sound is 13-15 overall and now 11-7 in NWC play.

Game One - Pacific Lutheran 6, Puget Sound 5 – 10 innings

The Lutes struck first in game one, scoring twice in the first inning against Puget Sound's starter, Nathan Aguiar. Aguiar pitched six innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Cameron Duvall pitched the final 3.2 innings for the Loggers suffering the loss and falling to 2-4 on the year. He allowed three runs on five hits as well.

In the top of the seventh, Puget Sound took the lead 4-2, scoring four runs all with two outs. Chaz Kramer was hit by a pitch to start the rally. Christian Carter pinch hit and singled, followed by singles by Andrew Grady and Dakota Resnik as two runs scored. After a pitching change for PLU, Nick Cherniske walked to load the bases and Matt Cox cashed in two more runs for the Loggers.
The Lutes scored three of their own in the bottom of the inning, re-taking the lead 5-4.

The Loggers tied the game in the top of the eighth as Will Mentor scored on a passed ball after he doubled and reached third on a throwing error.

After a scoreless bottom of the eighth and ninth, the game went to extra innings. The Loggers were unable to score in the top of the 10th and the Lutes took the game in their half when Nicholas Hall delivered the game-winning double. Ryan Aratani scored the game-winner after leading off the frame with a double.

With 10 hits, the Lutes outhit the Loggers by one. For the Loggers, Resnik and Cox led the team with two hits each.

Game Two – Puget Sound 9, Pacific Lutheran 5

It took awhile for the Loggers to get on the board, but the flood gates opened in the seventh inning as the Loggers plated nine runs over the final three frames to avoid the sweep.

The Loggers trailed 4-0 heading into the seventh as PLU scored one in the second, two in the third and one in the fourth.

Kainoa Correa scored the first run of the game for the Loggers in the top of the seventh on a single by Grady.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Lutes got the run back, but that's all they would get as the Loggers' rally continued in the final two innings.

All nine runs for Puget Sound came in the final three innings with five more in the eighth and three in the ninth. Andrew Yu pinch hit and singled for an RBI. A double by Correa drove in one. Carter hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI and with two outs, Correa scored on a wild pitch to tie up the game at 5-5. Paul Webster scored the go-ahead run for the Loggers on a Lutes throwing error, giving the Loggers a 6-5 lead. PLU had two errors in the inning and four in the game.

With one out in the ninth, Cox tripled to left center and scored on a wild pitch to pad the Loggers lead. After a single by Carter, Walton doubled to left center for two more.

Cox also led the Loggers in game two with two hits and two runs. Jeff Walton came off the bench and had two RBIs.

Alex Baugh was lights out over the final 2.1 innings as he held the Lutes scoreless during the Loggers rally and allowed just two hits. Perhaps the most impressive stat was the fact that Baugh recorded all seven outs with a strikeout to earn his first win of the season.

The Loggers return home next week to face Pacific in a three-game NWC series. The Loggers host the Boxers for two games on Friday and one game on Saturday. The series is shifted to a Friday/Saturday series due to Easter Sunday next week.