By: Ryan Lackey

PARKLAND, Wash. --- The Bruins opened their Pacific Lutheran tournament campaign on Sunday with a 6-2 loss to Linfield. Current sophomore Andrew Reichenbach, who will feature, certainly, in next year's lineup, led the Bruins offensively, going 2-2 with two runs while handling the catching duties. Jake Thran and Mason Dunning drove in the Bruins' runs.

Ian Buckles was hung with the loss, completing just over four innings.  Camden Muller threw three stellar innings of relief.

The Bruins struck first, pushing across a run on Wildcats starter Riley Newman in the second. Reichenbach doubled, went to third on Ansel Webster's smart groundout, and scored on Dunning's smashing double into the gap.

The Wildcats got that run back in the third, added another in the fourth, and exploded in the fifth. With two on, Corey VanDomelen doubled in one run, Eric Lawson singled in two more, and a wild pitch brought in the fourth. Linfield took a 5-1 lead into the sixth.

Still fighting, the Bruins regained some momentum in the sixth. With two outs, Reichenbach drilled a double to left, pausing on second only momentarily: Jake Thran's ringing single quickly brought him in to narrow Linfield's lead to 6-2.

The Bruins, though, were unable to muster anything else, and the Wildcats took the game, 6-2.