Box Score An early 5-0 led by the #3 seed Whitman led the Blues to a 7-1 win over the Pacific University baseball team in the first day of the Northwest Conference Baseball Tournament in Spokane.

The Boxers (24-17), who entered the tournament on a three-game winning streak, were limited to six hits by Whitman pitchers' Travis Craven and Eric Ma.

The Blues (21-16) were led by Lucas Thurn, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored to lead a 14-hit attack. Tyler Lewis, David Johnson and Tyler Lewis each had two hits for the Whitman offense.
 
Whitman, who is the No. 3 seed, scored two runs each in the first two innings to take the early advantage. The early lead allowed Craven to settle in as the Blues starter, who picked the win after going 7.2 innings, allowing four hits and six walks.
 
Pacific got on the scoreboard with a solo home run by Ryan Krout in the bottom of the eighth to avoid the shutout.
 
Next, Pacific will face Pacific Lutheran on Saturday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game.