By: Ryan Lackey

NEWBERG, Ore. --- Both offenses shined as the Bruins split their doubleheader with Pacific Lutheran on Friday. Dustin Wells dazzled Pacific Lutheran and the Bruins scored in bunches to take the first game 10-0 before falling short in the nightcap, 12-6, to the Lutes.

Recap:

Game One
Wells worked the first eight innings and was particularly miserly, allowing the Lutes just five hits. But the Bruins were similarly stymied until the bottom of the fifth, when AJ Valencia singled in Kyle Esquerra to open the scoring. Gabe Louthan doubled in Valencia, and the Bruins led 2-0.

The Bruins tacked on four more in the sixth. Jake Thran led off the inning with a long solo homer, and Caylen Clardy's single to center brought around two more. After Clardy dashed to second on a wild pitch, Valencia whacked a single to right center to score Clardy: 6-0, Bruins.

Four more runs in the seventh put the game away. Connor Newell singled in one run, and then the patient Bruins worked three RBI walks to reach double-digits.

Mikah Takashige worked a quiet ninth, and the Bruins had the victory.

Game Two
The Bruins seemed set to sweep the series in game two. To lead off the second inning, Kadyn Nannini launched a solo homer to start the scoring, and a Lutes error made the lead 2-0 after two. The Lutes managed an unearned run in the top of the fourth, but the Bruins came right back in the bottom of the inning.

A wild pitch and a double play gave the Bruins two runs, and with two outs an RBI double by Louthan and an RBI single from Andrew Reichenbach meant the Bruins were up 5-1 and in control.

From there, though, things went downhill for the Bruins. In the top of the fifth, starter Alex Jondal gave up three more runs, two on a Drew Oord double, and the Lutes were within one, 5-4. But the Bruins were still leading until the eighth, when Zachery Muenster relieved Jondal and the Lutes suddenly erupted. With eight runs in the eighth, the Bruins found themselves on the wrong end of a 12-6 deficit, and that score proved the final.

Top Performers:

Game One
Jake Thran had just one hit, but it was a solo homer to double the Bruins's lead. Valencia went 2-4 and drove in three runs atop the Bruin lineup. Louthan was 2-4 and knocked in two. Kyle Esquerra scored three times and went a perfect 4-4.

Game Two
Reichenbach was 2-3 on the day and drove in a run. Riley McKean scored twice and finished 1-3. Nannini's homer helped him finish 1-4 with an RBI and a run.

What It Means:
The Bruins are 16-10 overall and 9-5 in the Northwest Conference.

What Comes Next:
Tomorrow, the Bruins play once to finish up their three-game set with Pacific Lutheran.