NEWBERG, Ore. - Pacific Lutheran maintained its firm grasp on second place in the Northwest Conference softball standings by sweeping a doubleheader from host George Fox on Saturday afternoon.

The Lutes (22-10 overall, 16-4 NWC) used a six-run sixth inning to take a 10-0 win in the first game, and then scored twice in the top of the ninth to win the second game, 5-3.

PLU got a strong pitching performance from Stacey Hagensen in the opener as the junior right-hander allowed just two hit while walking none and striking out eight in the six-inning complete game.

Her teammates gave her plenty of support as they banged out 14 hits in the contest, including three each by Kaaren Hatlen and Glenelle Nitta and two each by Amanda Goings and Lindsey Matsunaga.

The Lutes broke a scoreless tie with a run in the fourth inning when Katie Lowery delivered a sacrifice fly to score Hatlen, who had reached on a single. An inning later, the Lutes added three more runs. Back-to-back singles by Goings and Kaely Cuthill put runners on base, and Hagensen drove in Goings with a sacrifice bunt. Hatlen had a run-scoring single, and consecutive base hits by Nitta and Matsunaga resulted in the third run of the frame.

PLU broke the game open in the sixth. Haley Harshaw hit a single, stole second, and scored on Ami Gran's base hit. With two out, Hagensen's single scored Gran, and then Hatlen followed up with a two-run homer, her fifth of the season. After Nitta reached on a base hit, Matsunaga drilled her sixth homer this year.

In the second game, the host Bruins took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but they ended up leaving three on base when relief pitcher Ally VanSchoorl entered the game and recorded a strikeout.

VanSchoorl ended up going 4 2/3 innings, allowing a run on three hits while walking none and fanning four. Hagensen entered the pitching circle in the sixth inning and ended up finishing the game to get the victory. She allowed no runs and only three hits while striking out two.

The Lutes scored twice in the fourth on Nitta's single and Matsunaga's seventh home run, and they added another run in the sixth when Hatlen was hit by a pitch and Matsunaga later singled to score pinch runner Shelby Hasse.

PLU finally won the game in the ninth inning. Harshaw hit a single, pinch hitter Spencer Sherwin drew a walk and Goings put down a bunt single to load the bases. Cuthill produced the two runs with a base hit.

The Lutes finished the game with nine hits, including two each by Harshaw, Nitta and Matsunaga, while the latter led the team with three RBI.

PLU returns to conference play at noon tomorrow when it plays a doubleheader at Lewis & Clark.

- PLU -