PARKLAND – With two wins on Sunday, Pacific Lutheran Softball completed the four-game sweep of visiting Lewis & Clark. In the early contest, the Lutes topped the Pios 6-4 followed by a 6-2 victory in the finale.
The Lutes advanced to an 8-6 Northwest Conference record, 15-11 overall. Lewis & Clark is now 5-11 in conference play and 8-19 overall. With the weekend's results, PLU improved to third place in the NWC standings.
In the early game, Lewis & Clark struck first, putting two runs on the board in the third inning. Pios' Haley Robinson reached on a fielder's choice that knocked in a run. With runners on first and second, Madison Hollenbeck reached on another fielder's choice with a Kailyn Osaki throwing error allowing all base runners to advance including Robinson, who crossed the plate to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead.
The Lutes answered back in the home half of the inning, scoring four runs on four hits and a Pioneer's error. Elli Rassbach hit a two-RBI single to even the game while Emily McConnell singled to knock in two runs and put the Lutes up 4-2.
The Pioneers threatened in the fourth inning, leading off with back-to-back hits that put runners on first and second. An RBI-single by Pios' Ashley Bolick would decrease their run deficit to one, but not before a ground out ended the inning.
The Lutes added two runs in the fifth on a Tori Hamura double.
Lewis & Clark rallied with two outs in the seventh to score one more for the Pios, but a fly out would end the rally and secure the 6-4 victory for PLU.
Leah Butters earned the win, improving her overall record to 7-5. She tossed four innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with no walks and one strikeout. Makayla Bentz pitched three innings of relief, limiting the Pioneers to one run on four hits to earn her first save of the season.
In the series finale, a four-hit second inning that also featured three Lewis & Clark errors allowed the Lutes to take an early 5-0 lead. With the bases loaded with one out, Alison Behrends reached on a fielder's choice that allowed McConnell to score on a wide throw from the third baseman to home plate. Thalen Masada followed with a walk that knocked in another run for the Lutes. Crysti Snyder reached on a fielder's choice that forced an out at home plate, but a throwing error by the catcher in an attempt to double up the Lutes at first base allowed a run to score. Amanda Hartley continued the rally with an RBI-single followed by a Samantha Boelter single that allowed the runners to advance, but a fielding error by the right fielder allowed Snyder an extra base, crossing the plate for a fifth run. The Lutes added an insurance run in the third on another Pioneers error.
Lewis & Clark rallied briefly in the sixth and seventh to put two runs on the board and avoid the shutout.
Marissa Miller (6-5) tossed her ninth complete game, earning the win and allowing only two runs on 10 hits and one walk. She struck out one.
PLU Softball will continue conference play next weekend, traveling to Oregon to meet Willamette on Friday and Linfield on Saturday. Both days will feature doubleheaders.
