COLUMBUS, Ga. - Pacific Lutheran defeated Hiram in five innings on Saturday morning to reach the Gold Bracket at the NFCA Divison III Leadoff Classic, but then dropped a 5-2 decision to Trine during the afternoon.

PLU 8, Hiram 0 (5 innings)

Glenelle Nitta had two of Pacific Lutheran's eight hits and Katie Lowery drove in two runs as the Lutes defeated Hiram (Ohio), 8-0, in a game shortened to five innings by the run rule.

The Lutes took advantage of three consecutive walks and a single by Lowery to take a 2-0 lead in the first, and they added five more in the third to break it open. Nitta led off with a single and came home on a triple by Amanda Hall. After a walk to Kaaren Hatlen, Hall scored on an error With one out and the bases loaded, Molly Yoshikawa hit a single to left field to drive in the third run. Another Hiram error accounted for the final two runs. The final run came in the top of the fourth when Spencer Sherwin hit a single, stole second and scored on a base hit by Samantha Pryor.

Leah Butters and Kelli Crawford combined to limit Hiram to just two hits in the game that was ended after five innings by the run rule. Butters earned the victory, allowing just one runner on a walk in three innings.

Trine 5, PLU 2

Pacific Lutheran opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Hatlen hit a two-out single to drive in Nitta, who had reached on a base hit.

Trine (Indiana), now 9-1 for the season, took control of the game with three runs in the third and one more in the fourth. Andi Gasco provided the big blow with a three-run homer in the third inning against PLU starting pitcher Kelsey Robinson.

A pair of Trine errors and a walk loaded the bases for the Lutes in the fifth, and one run scored when Amanda Hall was hit by a pitcher, but the rally ended there.

The Thunder added their final run in the seventh on a leadoff triple by Carly Searles followed by a passed ball.

Gasco limited the Lutes to just five hits, two of them by Robinson, and she also pitched her way out of trouble as her defense committed four errors. The Lutes left seven runners on base.

PLU, 8-4, continues play at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic at 8 a.m. (EST) Sunday against Texas-Tyler.

- PLU -