TACOMA - Pacific Lutheran won the
opening game of a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader
against Puget Sound on Saturday, 11-4, before the hosts Loggers
came back to pick up a win in the second game, 7-6.
The Loggers opened up a 3-0
advantage in the third inning of the first game, but the Lutes
came storming back with nine runs in the top of the fourth to
earn the victory.
Stacey Hagensen led off with a
single, advanced to second on a throwing error and scored on Kaaren Hatlen's base hit. Hatlen scored on Lauren Watson's RBI double, and
pinch hitter Montessa Califano and Caitlin Brown both
followed with two-run singles. Hagensen, batting for the
second time in the inning, clubbed a two-run homer, and Califano
finished the rally by drawing a bases-loaded walk for her third RBI
of the inning.
Hagensen and Hatlen led PLU
offensively with three hits each, while Watson and Califano both
collected a pair of PLU's 15 hits. Hagensen improved her season
pitching record to 5-6, giving up five hits and striking
out five Loggers batters in 6 2/3 innings of work.
In the second game, Puget Sound
slowly built a 6-0 lead through three innings, but PLU
wouldn't go quietly as it rallied and eventually tied
the game up at 6-6. The Lutes got on the board with a run in the
fourth on Hatlen's RBI double, and they added two more in the fifth
on a run-scoring double by Hagensen followed by Hatlen's RBI
single.
Trailing 6-3 entering the top of the
seventh, the Lutes rallied to tie the game. A pinch hit single
by Lauren Watson, a UPS error and a wild pitch put two runners
in scoring position. Califano brought in the first run with a
ground out. Amber Roberts then bunted for a hit, driving in the
second run. The next run scored on another Loggers error, but the
rally died when Katie Hanten lined out with two runners on
base.
The Loggers then won the game with a
bases-loaded single in the bottom of the inning. Puget Sound
finished with 10 hits while the Lutes managed seven, including two
each by Hagensen and Hatlen. That duo both collected five hits in
the doubleheader.
Auriel Sperberg collected the win
for the Loggers while Ramona Lorton picked up the loss in relief of
Jackie Martinez.
The Lutes wrap up the home portion of the 2010 season at noon
tomorrow when they host the Loggers in another doubleheader.
- PLU -
