Division III Lutes Stun Big Ten Opponent in Seattle Showdown
PLU baseball defeats Huskies in a stunning upset Tuesday night in Seattle. Pacific Lutheran University secured a remarkable 3-1 victory over the Division I University of Washington. The Lutes (6-6) displayed championship-caliber execution from the first pitch. Starting hurler Chris Moreno set the tone by retiring Washington’s first three batters.
PLU’s offense broke through in the second inning with consecutive doubles. After Brody Phinney reached base, Ethan Keintz laced a double down the left field line. Rochne Beecham followed with his own two-bagger down the right field line. His hit drove in both runners for an early 2-0 advantage.
The Huskies (8-13) mounted a threat in the third. They loaded the bases with no outs. Moreno demonstrated poise beyond his division. He limited Washington to just one run with three straight outs to preserve the lead.
Keintz provided crucial insurance in the fourth inning. He launched a solo home run over the left-center field wall. This was his second round-tripper of the 2025 campaign. Keintz finished with a stellar 3-for-4 performance.
The pitching staff showcased remarkable composure throughout the contest. Moreno earned the victory with two strikeouts across three innings. Kamryn Swartz delivered four scoreless frames of relief. Matt Sherwood closed out the final two innings for the save. He struck out two Huskies and extinguished a ninth-inning rally attempt.
Head Coach Nolan Soete experienced this rivalry as a player in 2001. He called it “a great team effort” and “one of those games they will remember forever.” This victory marks the first time PLU baseball defeats Huskies since their previous meeting in 2001. In that game, Soete himself scored the opening run in a narrow 4-3 defeat.
The Lutes and Huskies rematch for one more game Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 5:02pm and will broadcast on B1G+.
