NCAA® 2007 DIVISION III BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
WEST REGION

GAME 3
#2 Pacific Lutheran 12, #7 Austin 4

PACIFIC LUTHERAN GETS OFFENSIVE IN FIRST ROUND VICTORY

ORANGE, Calif. - Making its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance, Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) recorded 17 hits en route to a 12-4 win over No. 7 seed Austin College (Texas) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Baseball West Region championships at Hart Park on Wednesday evening. All but one Lutes starter had at least two hits in the win.

No. 2-seeded Pacific Lutheran (33-7), which won its first Northwest Conference championship this season, advances into the winner's bracket and will face No. 3 Texas Lutheran on Thursday at 1 p.m. Austin (22-24) will face No. 6 Pomona-Pitzer in an elimination game at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.

The Lutes overcame an early 2-0 deficit with a three-run third inning. Tyler Green singled in a pair of runs to give PLU the lead for good and cap the inning. Pacific Lutheran pulled away with five runs in the sixth to break open what had been a 6-3 game. Bryce Depew had a two-run single as the Lutes sent 10 men to the plate in the inning. Brandon Sales was 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Lutes.

All the offense was plenty for Pacific Lutheran RHP Joe DiPietro (11-2), who allowed just two earned runs and struckout eight in eight innings.

Austin was led by Patrick Ray who went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the first inning. Matt Finke was also 2-for-4 for the Kangaroos with two runs scored. Austin is also making its first-ever NCAA playoff appearance.

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Game stats available online:
/athletics/06-07/baseball/regionals/game3.htm