TACOMA, Wash. — Erin McGrath belted her 35th career home run on Monday, shattering a school record that stood since 2002 as the Pacific Lutheran University softball team secured a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Conference rival Whitworth University.
Kennedy Kila drove in five runs in the opener as the Lutes prevailed 7-3 before Kila tossed a complete game and McGrath set the record in an 11-3 victory in game two.
"We waited all weekend to play and our team was ready to roll from inning one. We had so many amazing moments and contributions from the top of the lineup to the bottom and our dugout continues to be unbelievable in their readiness to be the 10th player on the field and with any opportunity we throw their way!" said Head Coach
Traci Barrett.
A McGrath RBI groundout and a Kila sacrifice fly put the Lutes (17-5, 9-1 NWC) up 1-0 in the top of the first in game one. Whitworth (7-8, 4-5 NWC) pushed across a run in the bottom of the first before Kila blasted a solo home run in the sixth, making it 3-1 PLU. The Pirates snuck across two unearned runs in the sixth, tying the game at 3-3. PLU pulled away in the seventh with
Syan Yamamoto scoring on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run before Kila mashed a three-run home run, her second of the day to make it 7-3.
Kila finished with two hits and five RBIs in game one while
Mari Foster and
Rylie Wada both finished with a pair of base knocks.Â
Cassidy Conrad earned the complete game win, improving to 8-1 on the season after striking out four and allowing just one earned run.
The Lutes struck first again in game two with a
Molly House single scoring Wada in the second inning. House drove Wada in again in the top of the fourth before a Foster double scored two and a McGrath double plated another, giving Pacific Lutheran a 5-0 cushion.
Whitworth got on the board with a two-run home run in the fourth inning but the Lutes continued to pour on the runs.
Cailey Collado drove in a run in the fifth,
Anna Foster and Wada added two more in the sixth before a
Brooke Tilson sacrifice fly plated
Mattie Cheever in the seventh, making it 9-2. McGrath etched her name into the record books later in the seventh, blasting a two-run bomb to left field, her 35th career round tripper to surpass Shannon Cotton (Fritzke) for sole possession of first place on the all-time career home run list. McGrath takes down a record that has stood since the 2002 season.
The Pirates pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn't enough as PLU claimed the 11-3 victory to remain undefeated at home this spring.
McGrath was on fire, finishing three-for-five with three RBIs and two runs scored while Wada was three-for-four. PLU finished the nightcap with 16 total hits and had 26 total hits and 18 runs scored over the course of the doubleheader.
Kila went the distance in the circle, striking out three and allowing just five hits.
"Kennedy had the clutch hits in game 1 and kept answering the Whitworth offense. She has been working so hard and is such a positive light for our team. She set the example and that momentum rolled us into game 2. I was so happy for her to have her best pitching outing of the year pitching a complete game against a good hitting team."
"
Erin McGrath has been working so hard to stay simple and pick good pitches to hit. We were really hoping she'd get the record breaking hit on our field and that came true today. So fun for her and so much work behind that moment. Our whole team and staff is so happy for her. Cass Conrad with another win and also
Mari Foster and
Rylie Wada had a great day at the plate."
PLU is back on the diamond on March 30, trekking to Spokane, Washington to finish off the series with Whitworth.Â
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