SURPRISE, Ariz. - Max Beatty allowed just five hits and recorded 12 strikeouts in eight innings on Friday to lead Pacific Lutheran to a 3-0 victory over nationally ranked Concordia (Texas) in the Arizona Desert Classic at Desert Edge High School.

With the win, the Lutes improved to 2-2, while the Tornados, ranked No. 16 in the d3baseball.com preseason Top 25 poll, fell to 0-4.

Beatty, who missed all of the 2012 season while receiving treatments for cancer, improved his season record to 2-0 with his eight strong innings of work. Chris Bishop allowed one hit and struck out one batter in the ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season.

A junior right-hander, Beatty allowed a leadoff single and walk in the first inning but got out of that jam with a double play. After that, he retired the next 11 Concordia batters in order until a two-out single in the fifth inning. The Lutes defense did not commit an error and helped Beatty avert trouble in the seventh with its second double play of the game.

Pacific Lutheran's offense broke loose for 11 hits in this game, including two each by Dominick Courcy, Drew Oord and Garrett Brown. Courcy scored two runs and stole a base for the Lutes.

PLU scored a run in the first when Jacob Olsufka led off with a bunt single, advanced to third on Courcy's base hit to right field, and then scored on a double play ground out.

The Lutes added another run in the third inning when Courcy led off with a bunt single, moved up on Alec Beal's sacrifice bunt and then scored on Oord's base hit.

The final tally came in the fifth when Courcy led off with a walk, stole second and then came in on Beal's double.

Pacific Lutheran finished with 14 runners left on base, including two in both the second and third innings, and three in both the fifth and sixth innings.

The Lutes play two more games at the Arizona Desert Classic, facing Redlands (Calif.) at 9 a.m. (PT) on Saturday in Anthem, and Whittier (Calif.) at 9 a.m. on Sunday in Happy Valley.

- PLU -