TACOMA, Washington – Layne Croney hit his third home run of the season, but the Puget Sound baseball team lost both ends of a home doubleheader against Pacific Lutheran on Saturday afternoon.

Puget Sound 7, Pacific Lutheran 11

The Lutes (22-8, 14-6 NWC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first two innings, and they added four more runs in the top of the sixth to claim a daunting 9-0 advantage. However, the Loggers began to chip away in the bottom of the sixth.

James Dejesus led off with a walk, and Croney (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) put Puget Sound (15-17, 13-10 NWC) on the board with a two-run shot that cleared the right field wall. The Loggers loaded the bases in the seventh inning with consecutive singles by Nathan Backes (1-for-4, R), Nick Funyak (1-for-3, RBI, R), and Kaulana Smith (1-for-2). Dejesus hit into a fielder's choice that scored Backes, and Nickolas Alarcio (1-for-5, 2 RBI) smacked a two-run single to bring the Loggers to within 10-5.

A sac fly by Funyak in the eighth and a fielding error by the Lutes that allowed Croney to score in the ninth accounted for the Loggers' final two runs.

Puget Sound 3, Pacific Lutheran 8

Puget Sound committed six errors, including three in the sixth inning, which helped the Lutes to their second win of the afternoon.

Pacific Lutheran claimed a 5-0 lead through three-and-a-half innings, but the Loggers struck for two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Alarcio (1-for-4, R) singled up the middle with one out, and Chris Zerio (2-for-4, R, 2B, SB) followed with a double to centerfield to put two runners in scoring position. Bobby Hosmer's (0-for-3, RBI) sac fly right field scored Alarcio, and Backes (2-for-4, R, RBI) drove in Zerio with a single to center.

Puget Sound scored its third run in the seventh inning. Zerio led off with a single and moved to third on a single by Smith. Cal Muramaru (2-for-4, RBI) drove in Zerio with a base hit up the middle.

The Loggers and Lutes conclude their three-game series on Sunday, April 12, at 12 p.m. Puget Sound will honor its senior class prior to first pitch. 

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