Pacific Lutheran rallied for a 9-4 victory in the first game and then ran away for a 15-0 five-inning win in the second contest to sweep a Tuesday afternoon Northwest Conference softball doubleheader from visiting Puget Sound at the PLU softball field.
The Lutes improved their season record to 19-11 and their Northwest Conference mark to 12-6, while Puget Sound remained winless, 0-29 overall and 0-18 in the NWC.
Game One - PLU 9, Puget Sound 4
After one inning of the first game it looked like Puget Sound was the defending national champion and PLU was the team looking for its first victory of the season.
The Loggers scored four runs on four hits and a PLU error in the top of the first inning, stunning the Lutes. Amy Schmeckpeper ripped a leadoff double down the left field line and Jenica Holt followed with a single to center field. With one out, Schmeckpeper scored on a throwing error at home plate on a bunt attempt by Shannon Reed. Lisa Colombo followed with a run-scoring single, and Marissa Jeffers drove in two more with a base hit to right-centerfield.
The Lutes got a run back in the first when Montessa Califano hit a single and stole second - a regular occurrence throughout the doubleheader - and then scored on Amanda Hall's single.
The score remained 4-1 until the Lutes broke through with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Califano hit a one-out single, Hall drew a walk and Kaaren Hatlen followed with a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield. Hatlen's RBI base hit was the first of five straight by the Lutes as Katie Lowery, pinch hitter Emily Streeter, Lindsey Matsunaga and Glenelle Nitta followed with the same. Matsunaga scored the inning's final run on a passed ball.
PLU scored two more in the sixth inning when Califano reached on a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored when Hatlen's grounder was misplayed. Kelsey Robinson drove in the team's final run with a ground out.
Califano was 4-for-4 with three steals and three runs scored, and Lowery finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI as the Lutes ended with 12 total hits.
Leah Butters worked 6 2/3 innings of relief to get the win, her second of the season against two losses. She allowed no runs on three hits and did not walk or strike out a batter.
Holt and Jeffers both had two of Puget Sound's six hits.
Game Two - PLU 15, Puget Sound 0 (5 innings)
After having to rally to win the opener, the Lutes wasted little time in putting up lots of offense in the second game. They scored two in the first, six in the second, five in the third and two more in the fourth, while Hatlen and Kelli Crawford were combining on a four-hit shutout.
Glenelle Nitta hit a two-run homer to center to highlight the second inning, which also saw run-scoring singles by Califano, Hall and Dewey Davis.
Davis provided the big blow in the third inning, driving a pitch over the left field fence for a grand slam. It was her first home run as a collegiate player.
The game's final two runs came from Lauren Watson's double and Crawford's single, both in their first plate appearances of the day.
Califano finished her perfect day by going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three more steals. She ended the day 7-for-7 with six runs scored and six steals.
Hatlen was 2-for-2 with three RBI and Davis ended up 2-for-3 with five runs batted in.
Hatlen allowed two hits in three innings of work to get the win, improving her season record to 7-5. Crawford gave up two hits and one walk with two strikeouts in two innings of relief work.
- PLU -
