MESA, Ariz. – The Pacific Lutheran offense combined for 23 runs in two games as the Lutes closed out a four-game softball sweep of Benedictine-Mesa Saturday afternoon with a pair of six-inning victories, defeating the Redhawks 13-2 and 10-2.
"This was another great team effort," PLU head coach Lance Glasoe said. "We got dominant pitching by all three pitchers and a lot of clutch hitting."
Saturday's first game was a pitchers' duel until the top of the fifth inning, as the PLU offense erupted for six runs in the fifth and added seven runs in the sixth. The Lutes took advantage of four Benedictine errors between the two innings, but it was the long ball that made the difference in the fifth. Anna Overland cranked a three-run home run to right field to put the Lutes on the board, and a few batters later Jessica Wallace hit a two-run homer.
The seventh inning outburst involved more small ball, as PLU tallied four singles to go with two walks and two Redhawk errors to plate seven runs and take a 13-2 lead. Benedictine also scored its first run on a home run in the fifth inning, and the Redhawks added one more in the frame, but that was all Elli Rassbach allowed as she picked up her fifth win of the season while tossing the first five innings. Marissa Miller closed out the final inning for PLU.
It did not take the Lutes nearly as long to score in the second game, as Overland led off the game with her second homer of the day and PLU scored four runs on five hits in the top of the first. Benedictine got two runs back in the bottom of the frame, but after that it was all Lutes. PLU tacked on three runs in the top of the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the top of the sixth to claim the 10-2 win. Kathryn Hatlen earned her first collegiate win in the circle, limiting Benedictine to two runs on four hits in four innings. Miller came back to pitch the final two innings of shutout ball.
Overland finished the day with the two home runs among her three total hits, with five runs batted in. Emily McConnell totaled four hits between the two games, while Becca Sorensen and Amanda Hartley each tallied three hits in the second game. Hartley drove in three runs in that second contest, and Hatlen helped her own cause with two hits, two runs scored and two runs batted in.
PLU stretches its early-season win streak to seven straight games heading into Northwest Conference play. The Lutes improved to 8-2 overall and have a bye next weekend before traveling to Oregon for a four-game series against Pacific in Forest Grove Feb. 27-28.
