RALEIGH, N.C. — The Pacific Lutheran University softball team steamrolled a pair of opponents to close out its tour of the East Coast on Sunday. The Lutes allowed just two hits in a 5-0 victory over State University of New York-New Paltz before scoring early and often in a 12-1 mercy rule rout of Oberlin College.

"We had a very good day in the circle with Paige Wilson leading us in game one with a dominant performance with 9Ks and just 2 hits! The defense behind Paige was impressive and getting timely hits today was the difference for us! Rachel Treves also had a very strong outing today with Kaylee Gresko and Emma Ware closing games out respectively," said Head Coach Traci Barrett.

"Jaycie Simpliciano's crushing bomb and first college home run was a highlight as well as Zoe Smithson, Casey Wright, Brooke Tilson, and Leslie Main had strong offensive performances overall!"
 
Against New Paltz (2-1), the game was scoreless until the top of the third when a Jaycie Simpliciano sacrifice fly scored Arabella Perez to put the Lutes (5-7) up 1-0. PLU added two more runs in the fourth with Zoe Smithson scoring on an error before a Casey Wright double scored Molly House.
 
Simpliciano blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning before a House sacrifice fly made it 5-0 in the seventh. 
 
Smithson and Leslie Main both finished two-for-three at the plate.
 
The Lute pitching staff was dialed in against the Hawks with Paige Wilson and Kaylee Gresko allowing just two hits in the combined shutout. Wilson earned the win, allowing just one hit and striking out eight of the 20 batters faced in six innings of work while Gresko collected the final three outs, striking out one. 
 
The Lutes wasted little time getting on the board against Oberlin (0-3) in the second game of the day. PLU poured on six runs in the first inning. A Molly House sacrifice fly got things started before a Casey Wright double scored two to make it 3-0. A Brooke Tilson single scored right before Simpliciano and Kamalani Doctor both drew bases loaded walks.
 
A Tilson double scored Wright in the second inning before a Main sacrifice fly and a Brookelyn Gutierrez single made it 9-0 PLU. 
 
A Syan Yamamoto single up the middle made it 10-0 in the third inning. The Yeowomen got on the board in the fourth inning but the Lutes answered with an RBI single from Ashleighn McAuley and a bases loaded walk by Kimara Blakely to make it 12-1 in a mercy rule shortened game. 
 
Wright and Tilson both finished two-for-two with two RBIs and two runs scored in a game that the Lutes cranked out 10 hits.
 
Rachel Treves tossed three scoreless innings, striking out two while Emma Ware pitched the final two innings. 
 
The Lutes begin Northwest Conference play next weekend with a four-game set against preseason favorite Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon.