REDLANDS, Calif. --- The Pacific Lutheran Softball team rebounded from two tough losses to Redlands on Friday with a two-game sweep of the La Verne Leopards on Saturday. Casey Wright came through with two home runs on the day, helping the Lutes to 10-4 and 5-4 victories.
 
Game One
 
Freshman Paige Wilson started inside the circle once again for the Lutes, going the distance and some as she pitched nine innings, earning four runs on 12 hits, and striking out four.
 
Paola Garcia's bat stayed hot as she got the game started with a solo home run in the top of the first to give the Lutes an early 1-0 lead. Wilson would allow just one hit through the first three innings, but the fourth inning held four singles for the Leopards, to which they would take a 2-1 lead after stranding the bases loaded.
 
The Lutes tied it up in the top of the sixth as Kassidi Dean would force a fielding error at first base, allowing Jaycie Simpliciano to score on the play. The Lutes grabbed their first lead since the opening frame as Arabella Perez reached on a fielding error to open the top of the 7^th. Perez went on to steal second and advance to third on a Rylie Wada sacrifice bunt. Garcia drove Perez in on a one-out groundout to the second baseman, giving the Lutes a 3-2 lead. This lead didn't last long as the Leopards executed a one-out double down the right field line that would score the tying run.
 
Heading in to extra-innings, the two squads remained scoreless through the eighth-inning. But with runners on first and third and two outs, Garcia came through once again with a double to left-center field, scoring Perez, and taking a 4-3 lead. With Zoe Smithson up next, the lefty would turn on an inside pitch and send it well over the left-field fence, a three-run home run. Molly House and Emma Ware kept the two-out rally alive with a single and walk respectively. Senior Catcher Casey Wright extended the lead with the line-drive home run to deep center field, putting the game nearly out of reach with a 10-4 lead and three outs to go.
 
The Leopards gave their best effort to make a comeback, but three singles lead to just one run, meaning the Lutes would go on to earn their first win of the 2024 season in extra-innings.
 
The Lutes scored 10 runs on 11 hits while allowing just four runs by the Leopards who had 12 hits. Eight different Lutes earned at least one hit in the ballgame, with Garcia and Perez leading with two apiece. Garcia, Smithson, and Wright each had three runs batted in, accounting for nine of the Lutes 10 runs. Six of which runs batted in game on two pitches.
 
Wilson was credited with her first win of her collegiate career, going all nine innings and facing 41 batters. Wilson's record moves to 1-1 on the young season. Wright tallied her second hit of the game in the top of the fourth, where she would come home along with Syan Yamamototo extend the Lutes lead to 4-1 thanks to a single off the bat of senior Rylie Wada.
 
Game Two
 
Differing from yesterday, Head Coach Traci Barrett gave Rachel Treves the start inside the circle for game two.
 
La Verne got revenge from the first matchup of the day, scoring first in the opening frame on a sacrifice fly to right field. But yet again, the veteran Catcher Casey Wright drove one deep and over the fence to tie it right back up at 1-1.
 
With a scoreless third inning, the Lutes took the lead once again as Arabella Perez drove in Yamamoto before senior Rylie Wada's single drove in Wright to give the Lutes a 4-1 lead. The Leopards pounced on Treves later in the fifth inning with three consecutive singles followed by a sacrifice fly. The Leopards tied the game at four apiece on a two out single that knocked Treves out of the game. Graduate Transfer Rachael Rhinehart came in to relieve Treves and closed out the inning with the score tied, 4-4.
 
Garcia opened up the top of the seventh on first base following a fielding error by the Leopards shortstop. Molly House and Ware followed suit with a pair of singled to load the bases with just one out. Casey Wright came through in the clutch once again with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Garcia and putting the Lutes up 5-4 heading into the home half of the seventh.
 
With Rhinehart still inside the circle, she allowed a leadoff single but quickly got back on track with a groundout, pop-up, and fly-out to end the game. Lutes right fielder Zoe Smithson made a running catch and partially diving to ensure the two-game sweep for her team.
 
Wright led the Lutes at the plate with a 3-3 day, featuring two runs, two runs batted in, and a home run. Wada also had two runs batted in during her 1-4 day at the plate. Rhinehart earns her first win in the black and gold, going two and a third innings, allowing just two hits in the process. Both squads had 10 hits each, but it was the Lutes who made use of their extra base hits, scoring five runs on the Leopards.

"So glad our players stayed the course and made adjustments both mentally and physically. We have the bats to be as strong as we've ever been offensively. Putting that together with defense and pitching is what the pre-season is for." Said Coach Barrett following Saturday's wins. "Casey Wright came alive not only with a couple Home Runs, but other crucial at bats with hits to put us in scoring position and continue to put our opponent under pressure in the circle. Paola not only hit well but made several game-changing defensive plays in left. Every player in our lineup had a big moment for us today! Zoe Smithson's game securing bomb was a huge moment in game 1. Paige Wilson with her first win in a 9-inning complete game was special. Treves and Rhinehart were a great pairing with a win!"
 
The Lutes close out their California road trip tomorrow with their third doubleheader in as many days, as they take on Chapman at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Orange, California.
 
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