REDLANDS, Calif. - Pacific Lutheran wrapped up its California spring break trip on Thursday by splitting a pair of non-conference softball games with No. 19-ranked University of Redlands. The Lutes won the opener, 5-1, and lost the second game, 7-6.

The Lutes, 20-10 for the season, won five of eight games played over a four-day period.

Stacey Hagensen won her 12th game of the season, throwing a complete-game six-hitter to win the opener. She did not walk a batter and struck out five.

PLU tallied two runs in the first and three more in the second to knock of the nationally ranked Bulldogs (24-8). Kaely Cuthill had three singles and scored two runs and Kaaren Hatlen had two hits and two runs batted in to lead the 10-hit offense. The Lutes, who ended up leaving 10 runners on base, benefitted from four Redlands errors.

The host Bulldogs took a 3-0 first inning lead in the second game before the Lutes got one back in the top of the third. Redlands made it 7-1 with four runs in the fourth inning before PLU rallied to make it close at the end.

Ami Gran hit a two-run homer, her first of the season, to make it 7-3 in the fifth. The Lutes added an unearned run in the sixth, and scored two in their final at bat before coming up short. With one out, Cuthill and Hagensen hit singles and Hatlen followed with a base hit that scored Cuthill, but Hagensen was thrown out at third on the play. Glenelle Nitta drove in Hatlen with a base hit, but a strike out ended the game.

Nitta and Gran both had a pair of hits to lead the Lutes' nine-hit attack. Hatlen went the distance in the pitching circle and took the loss.

The Lutes return to action on Saturday when they play at George Fox in a Northwest Conference doubleheader.

- PLU -