PORTLAND, Ore. - For the second straight day, the defending national champion Pacific Lutheran softball team was reminded that this is a new season as it had to settle for a split with the host Lewis & Clark Pioneers.

After rolling to an 8-2 win in the opening game today at Huston Sports Complex, the Lutes were shut out, 1-0, as Lewis & Clark pitcher Madison Hollenbeck tossed a one-hitter.

With the split, the Lutes find themselves at 2-2 overall and 2-2 in the conference, which trails Willamette, Lewis & Clark and Pacific, all at 3-1 through the first weekend of the NWC season.

Game One - PLU 8, Lewis & Clark 2

The host Pioneers took a first-inning lead on a two-out double by Jet'aime Mullins, but the Lutes scored three in the second, two each in the third and fourth, and one more in the fifth inning. Montessa Califano had three of PLU's 10 hits from the leadoff position as the Lutes got their Sunday off on the right foot.

Kelsey Robinson had a two-run single in the third inning and Kaaren Hatlen hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning for the Lutes.

Leah Butters allowed two earned runs on four hits in her second straight complete game performance.

Game Two - Lewis & Clark 1, PLU 0

Lewis & Clark ended a streak of 49 consecutive losses to Pacific Lutheran with the upset victory. The last win by the Pioneers in the series came by the same 1-0 score during the 2000 season. Pacific Lutheran now leads the all-time series against Lewis & Clark, 104-9.

The Pioneers scored the game's only run in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Lutes, despite getting only the one hit, squandered numerous scoring opportunities in the loss.

The Lutes left two runners in scoring position - including Kaaren Hatlen, whose single was PLU's only safety - in the first inning. They left a runner in scoring position in the fourth and the bases loaded in both the fifth and seventh innings.

In the seventh, they loaded the bases with only one out but a shallow fly out and a strike out ended the game.

Hollenbeck walked six batters and struck out three.

Robinson was the hard-luck loser for the Lutes, allowing only the one run on five hits. She walked none and struck out two batters.

- PLU -