FOREST GROVE, Ore. - For the third straight game the Bethany Lutheran baseball team scored first versus Pacific, but the Boxers would storm back to take a 14-4 win. With the loss the Vikings fall to 2-7 on the year while Pacific moves to 9-2.

Bethany came out swinging in the top of the first, as Aidan Russell and Liam Peterson would reach base consecutively to open the game before Nolan Spence drove a double to right to make the score 2-0. Connor Jones would then single to advance Spence to third, before the latter used a passed ball to scamper home and make the score 3-0 after one half inning.

John Lutzi would get the start on the mound for the Viking and toss the first two innings scoreless before the Boxers got to him in the third. The first four batters would reach base safely and bring in a pair of runs, before the fifth hitter of the inning put a home run over the right field fence to make the score 5-3. A free pass following the home run would extend the threat, but Lutzi would work out of the jam to strand the runner. 

The Vikings would help Lutzi out again in the fourth, as Spence would single to open the inning, advancing to third on a Malachi Santiago single. Lucas Reiff then hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit in half and make the score 5-4. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning though Pacific would take control of the game as they would use five free passes and four base hits, including a bases clearing triple late in the frame to push across eight runs and make the score 13-4. They would add one more run in the seventh inning as they held on for the 14-4 victory.

Lutzi suffered the loss in the contest, going four and a third inning and striking out four batters while allowing seven runs. Spence led a nine-hit team effort at the plate with a pair of hits while also helping account for all four of the teams runs. 

Bethany now has some time off before they'll be back in action on Tuesday, March 19th, when they'll host Augsburg.