TACOMA, Wash. - It was a storybook ending for the Pacific Lutheran University softball team's six seniors on Friday afternoon, piling on 19 runs against crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound to secure the doubleheader sweep on Senior Day. The Lutes pounded the Loggers 9-1 in the opener before collecting the 10-0 shutout in the nightcap. 
 
The visiting Loggers (4-33, 2-24 NWC) drew first blood in the opener, stringing together three hits and pushing across a run in the top of the first. The Lutes (22-17, 13-13 NWC) more than answered the call, piling on four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Kennedy Robillard drove in two runs on a base knock before scoring on a wild pitch to stake a 3-1 lead.
 
Solo home runs from both Chaella Galapon and Kathryn Hatlen made it 5-1 in the second inning before an Anna Overland RBI single made it 6-1 in the third. 
 
The offensive onslaught continued in the fourth with a RBI single from Becca Sorensen. Sorensen eventually scored on a wild pitch while Raynna Mekaru scored later in the frame, giving the Lutes a 9-1 edge. Puget Sound was held scoreless in the top of the fifth, enacting the mercy rule. 
 
Robillard struck out four in the complete game effort inside the circle for her team-leading 13thvictory of the season. Offensively, Galapon, Hatlen, and Sorensen all finished with two hits and two runs scored. 
 
The Lute onslaught spilled over into game two with PLU piling on five runs in the opening inning. Sorensen, Overland, and Delaney Salter all drove in runs before Elise Freund added two more to the scoreboard for the early lead. A Samantha Simundson sacrifice fly upped the lead to 6-0 in the second before pushing across four runs in the fourth en route to the mercy rule win. A Simundson RBI single got things going in the fourth followed by a two-RBI double from Overland a sac fly from Erin McGrath.
 
Z Ellis was nearly perfect inside the circle, allowing just one baserunner on a single up the middle in the fourth inning. Puget Sound's time on the basepaths was fleeting with a double play clearing the bases as the Lutes needed to cycle through just 15 Logger hitters to wrap up the win and doubleheader sweep. 

"We're young in the circle this year but you could tell by the way Z took the ball that she was dialed in and on fire!" said Head Coach Traci Barrett. "It was fun to watch her command every pitch today and the defense behind her did a great job."
 
Overland finished game two with three RBIs while Sorensen scored three of the Lutes' 10 runs.

"Offensively we did a great job again with swinging at what we intend to hit and the underclassmen made today so special for our seniors. 
 
Friday was the final home games on home soil for Bailey Plumb, Anna Overland, Samantha Simundson, Becca Sorensen, Kathryn Hatlen, and Delaney Salter. The six seniors combined for 82 wins over the past four seasons, including 32 at PLU Field. 

"We will miss the hard work and dedication our seniors put into Lute softball. Anna, Becca, Kathryn, Bailey, Delaney, and Sam are special and we appreciate all they've done to make Lute softball better!"
 
The Lutes and Loggers return to the diamond tomorrow to close out the series and the regular season. First pitch of the twinbill is slated for 12 p.m.