NCAA® 2007 DIVISION III BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
WEST REGION

GAME 6
#2 Pacific Lutheran 9, #3 Texas Lutheran 8

PACIFIC WINS LUTHERAN BATTLE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS

ORANGE, Calif. - In a wild, wild finish, No. 2-seeded Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) rallied to defeat No. 3 Texas Lutheran University 9-8 with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to advance in the winners' bracket at the NCAA Division III Baseball West Region championship at Hart Park on Thursday.

The Lutes rallied only after TLU scored six times in the top of the ninth to overcome a five-run deficit and led 8-7. The two teams combined for 11 runs in the final inning and a half.

Pacific Lutheran (34-7), making its first-ever NCAA postseason appearance, advances to face the winner of No. 1 Chapman and No. 4 Texas-Dallas at noon on Friday. Texas Lutheran (36-9-1) must come back to face No. 6 Pomona-Pitzer at 8 p.m. tonight.

The Lutes took a rather modest 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning when Jared Simon doubled in a pair of runs to cap a three-run inning and give PLU a comfortable 7-2 lead heading into the ninth.

Texas Lutheran had other thoughts. With one out and a runner on, Joseph Brade connected for his sixth home run of the season to cut the PLU lead to 7-4. After a walk, Lutes' starter Brett Brunner was chased from the game having allowed just one earned run in 8.1 innings and in position for the win.

A hit batter, a balk, a double and a triple later and Texas Lutheran had tied the score 7-7 with two outs. Ryan Nokelby followed with an RBI single to give the Bulldogs the go-ahead run.

It was Pacific Lutheran's turn for a little ninth-inning magic. The Lutes pounded out four consecutive singles, including RBIs from Logan Andrews and Matt Akridge for the tying and winning runs to leave Texas Lutheran stunned and exhausted.

Roger Guzman, Jordan Post and Justin Whitehall had three hits apiece to lead the Lutes, who finished with 17 hits in the game.

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Game stats available online:
/athletics/06-07/baseball/regionals/game6.htm