Written by Student Assistant Jake Bilyeu

TACOMA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran University softball team showed great potential in its first taste of Northwest Conference play, picking up two strong wins on Saturday against Pacific University. 

The Lutes (5-1, 2-0 NWC) dominated the Boxers on Saturday, securing 6-0 and 9-1 victories, including Elli Rassbach throwing the program's first no-hitter since 2012. While the team struggled to match that intensity on Sunday before the rain ended their day early, the Lutes still feel strongly about their first home performance of the season, and are looking to continue building momentum with a much shorter turnaround this time. 

"In terms of positives, we came out hot, exactly where we left off three weeks ago," Head Coach Brandi Gordon Bennett said. "We played well defensively, held each other accountable, and our bats were hot."

The Lutes will host Division II Central Washington University for a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon in what will be the team's final non-conference games. The team will then have to rest quickly and travel to Lewis & Clark College this weekend. With six games in give days, the Lutes will get a chance to fine tune their rhythm.

"I think it's better for us to play so much, you get out of game mode when you're away from the field," Gordon Bennett said. "We're excited for some non-conference games so we can work through things."

The Lutes have been getting a great deal of help from their depth in their strong start, but they've had a few standout players leading the way. Among those is Anna Overland, who, after missing some of last season due to injury, has come out on fire in 2017, leading the team in hits, RBIs, and total bases. Overland has overcome her injury to prove that she can help lead the Lutes to a successful spring.

"It's been good to see that hard work pays off," Overland said. "I tried to help the team out in any way that I could while I was hurt, and I was motivated to get myself healthy after sitting in the dugout last season."

Now that Overland has established her role on the team, she has a very simple game plan going forward.

"I'm just looking to hit the ball solid, and follow through," Overland said. "I've got to remember that feeling of getting a good hit on the ball whenever I step up to the plate."

Overland and the Lutes will be on the field at noon on Wednesday to see if their powerful offense can continue to find success.

Mar. 1: PLU vs. Central Washington at PLU Field in Tacoma, Washington (12 PM)

Series History: The Lutes and Wildcats have met on 10 occasions with PLU holding a 9-1 edge in the series that has been dormant since the 1998 season.

About the Wildcats: Central Washington (6-3) has been inactive since Feb. 10 after winning three of four games at the Dixie State Tournament in Utah. 

The Wildcats opened the tourney with wins over Colorado State-Pueblo (5-4) and UC-Colorado Springs (5-2) before besting Western New Mexico 11-5. CWU attempted a late rally in the tournament finale but came up just short in a 4-3 setback to Saint Edward's.

Julia Reuble leads CWU at the plate, owning a .476 average while Kailyn Campbell sports a .455 average with a team-high 13 runs scored and seven extra base hits. 
Kayla Smith is the CWU ace inside the circle, sporting a 1.18 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings of work.

Mar. 3 &4: PLU vs. Lewis & Clark at Huston Field in Portland, Oregon (12 PM)

Series History: The all-time series is slanted heavily in favor of the Lutes with PLU winning 117 of the 128 meetings between the two schools. The Lutes have won 12 of the last 13, including three of four last season.

About the Pioneers: Lewis & Clark (0-4, 0-0 NWC) opens up NWC play still searching for its first win of the season after dropping doubleheaders against California foes Biola College and Whittier College. Lisa Kumaska led the Pios against Whittier on Feb. 12, finishing six-for-eight at the plate but it wasn't enough as the host Poets took the series with 6-2 and 2-1 victories.

Kumaska owns a .429 average at the plate while Stephanie Garcia boasts a .364 average. Kalin Rooney is the workhorse inside the circle, logging 11 innings with a team-best 1.91 earned run average. Kaili Akimseu leads the team in strikeouts with nine on the season in just six innings of work.