WALLA WALLA, Wash. - The Whitman College baseball team won its second straight series, splitting a Northwest Conference doubleheader at Pacific Lutheran on Sunday. Whitman dropped the opener 8-7 before topping the Lutes in the nightcap 7-3.

Game 1
The opener saw a ninth-inning rally by the Blues (19-17, 16-12 NWC) fall just short. The Lutes rallied to take a three-run lead heading to the top of the ninth for Whitman's final at bats. Brett Williams scored after a two-out triple from Ben Parker, who later brought the Blues to within one run when he scored on Ethan Sitzman's RBI single. Garrett Runyan was unable to keep the rally going and struck out to end the game.

Julien Hernandez tossed a serviceable outing but was lifted for Billy Wall (3-3) after hitting his first two batters in the seventh inning. Wall was tagged with the loss after being charged with three runs on five hits.

Cole Trotignon (5-1) nearly threw a complete game for the win, pitching eight and two-thirds and allowing five earned runs on 10 hits. Justin Tucker picked up the final out for the save.

Sitzman (4 H, 2 R, 4 RBI) had a monster game for the Blues including a three-run double as part of a four-run fifth inning to put his team up two runs. Alex Boyd (3 H, 2 R, 3 RBI) led the Lutes at the plate, driving home his three runs to help PLU rally in the seventh and eighth innings.

Game 2
The Blues responded for a game two victory to win the series. The top of the lineup did the damage at the plate for the Blues who scored all seven runs in the first two innings. Parker posted two hits and two runs with Kevin Nakamura adding two hits, one run and one RBI. David Johnson delivered two hits, one run and two RBI including a two-run single as part of a five-run Whitman second inning.

The Blues staffed the game on the mound with Benjamin Seashore-Hobson (1-0) picking up his first win in two and one-third innings of relief work. He allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout. Travis Craven picked up the save in two and two-thirds innings of near perfect scoreless relief.

Jonathan Cohen (3-1) lasted just an inning and a third in suffering the loss. He allowed four earned runs on six hits and was lifted in the second inning for Trevor Mason.

Mateus Conaway, playing as a designated hitter, and Leo Rivera both added a hit and an RBI.

Whitman concludes the regular season next weekend with a four-game set at home against Puget Sound.