MESA, Ariz. – Pacific Lutheran opened the day with a dominant offensive display in an 11-1 five-inning win over Benedictine, and the Lutes closed out the day with a 6-5 win to clinch a nonconference softball doubleheader sweep of the Redhawks Friday afternoon.

Picking up its fourth and fifth consecutive victories, Pacific Lutheran improved to 6-2 overall this season while handing Benedictine losses in its first two games of 2016. The teams will rematch Saturday for another doubleheader, with first pitch of the opener set for 1 p.m. MST.

"It was a great team effort today," PLU head coach Lance Glasoe said. "We got contributions up and down the lineup. Marissa threw very well today, and we look for her to continue her progress this weekend."

Marissa Miller claimed the win in the opener with a complete-game performance. The PLU sophomore limited Benedictine to one run on three hits over five innings to earn her first win of the season. She came back in the second game to pick up the final two outs with the tying run on third to earn her third save of the year. Elli Rassbach started the second game and earned her fifth win of the year after allowing only two earned runs in 6.1 innings.

After hitting home runs in each of the Lutes' last two games down in Texas last week, freshman Kathryn Hatlen made it three games in a row with a three-run blast in the opener. She finished the day with five runs batted in between the two games to lead the Lute offense.

Anna Overland tallied three hits in the opener, while Jessica Wallace picked up a pair of hits, and Alison Behrends scored three runs after reaching base three times on two walks and a single.

The Lutes scored four runs in the top of the second, with Thalen Masada providing the big hit of the frame on a two-run double. PLU added six more in the top of the fourth, with three coming in to score on Hatlen's long ball to left. An Overland double in the top of the fifth set the stage for the Lutes' final run of the day as they clinched the five-inning win.

Friday's second game proved to be a much closer contest. PLU scored the first three runs with one in the first and two in the third, but Benedictine tied it up with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Lutes picked up two more runs in the sixth and what proved to be a vital insurance run in the top of the seventh before the Redhawks rallied to score twice in the bottom of the seventh. With runners at second and third and one out, Miller came in to get the final two outs and seal the 6-5 win.