By: Ryan Lackey

McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- The Bruins concluded their season with a post-NWC-Tournament doubleheader on Sunday, losing to Pacific Lutheran 11-9 despite a solid start from Alex Jondal and a Kadyn Nannini solo shot.

Recap – Pacific Lutheran:
The Bruins held a 7-2 lead heading into the fifth, but a Lutes offensive surge proved too much for the Bruins' bullpen to check. The Bruins opened the scoring with three runs in the second with some unorthodox offense. Jake Thran punched a one-out double and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Connor Newell's walk and a Reichenbach hit-by-pitch forced in the other two runs.

Ben Welch and Drew Oord pulled two back for the Lutes in the third, but the Bruins tacked on four more in the fourth, three on Zachery Muenster's massive triple. With the 7-2 lead, the Bruins looked like they were cruising.

The Lutes scored twice in the sixth, and Jake Thran singled in another run for the Bruins to make the score 8-4. But in the seventh, Tyler Thompson's RBI single and Cole Johnson's sacrifice fly helped Pacific Lutheran score three and draw within one run.

Then, in the eighth, a two-RBI double by Welch, plus another by Thompson, let the Lutes seize an 11-8 lead. Kadyn Nannni's solo homer in the ninth made the final score 11-9.

Recap, Linfield:
Connor Newell went 2-3 with an RBI, but the Bruins couldn't quite get going against Linfield on Sunday, as they finished up their 2016 campaign with a 14-5 loss.

The Bruins had a 3-0 lead after the first and seemed poised for a big day. In the first, AJ Valencia led off with a single and eventually scored on Jacob Woehler's single. Woehler ended up reaching home on a wild pitch. After Ansel Webster's walk forced in Caylen Clardy, who'd reached on a fielder's choice, the Bruins had a three-run lead.

The Wildcats got one in the second, but things really fell apart for the Bruins in the third. A three-run Ben Andrews double and a two-run homer from Ryan Pladson meant a five-run inning and a 6-3 lead for Linfield.

In the fifth, the Wildcats got two more on some inexact Bruin defense, but RBI singles from Newell and Clardy in the sixth kept the Bruins alive. But Linfield tallied three more in the seventh, and the 14-5 final held.

Top Performers, Pacific Lutheran:
Muenster finished with three RBIs, all on his long triple. Clay Mott was 2-4, as was Jake Thran. Nannini homered in his only at-bat. Jondal worked an effective six innings, allowing two runs.

Top Performers, Linfield:
Webster, Clardy, and Woehler all knocked in runs. Newell led the Bruins with his 2-3 day.

What It Means:
The Bruins finish with a positive 21-20 record across all games this season.

What Comes Next:
The Bruins look forward to fall practices and next spring's season.