TACOMA, Wash. --- The Pacific Lutheran Softball team closed out their home-opening weekend on Saturday, splitting the day and the weekend with the Bruins. Zoe Smithson and Rylie Wada paired up for a four-run seventh inning on game one to beat the Bruins 7-6 before falling 2-1 in game two.
 
Game One
 
With Rachael Rhinehart making her second start in as many days, the Bruins got to the graduate transfer early with a three-run home run following an error in the infield. The Lutes began knocking on the door in the home half of the first, as Paola Garcia and Zoe Smithson's singles allowed Molly House to drive in one on a single to center field. 3-1 Bruins after one.
 
Rhinehart began to settle in, sitting the Bruins down in order in the second before getting out of a jam with two runners in scoring position. Garcia's bat came through once again in the third, ripping a solo home run over the centerfield wall to cut the deficit to just one.
 
The fifth brought more trouble for the Lutes starter, a pair of singles led to a two-out three-run home run to right centerfield, giving the Bruins a 6-2 lead through five. All six of the Bruins runs came on just two pitches.
 
Zoe Smithson opened the bottom of the sixth with a double off of the centerfield banner, which led to an RBI fielder's choice by Brooke Tilson, making it a 6-3 ballgame with one frame left.
 
Garcia found herself in the mix, ripping a one-out single to get the Lutes much needed base runners in the home half of the seventh. Senior Catcher Casey Wright followed suit with a single through the right side of the infield. Sophomore Zoe Smithson turned on an inside pitch and drilled it high and deep over the right field wall to knot the game up at 6-6. House kept the rally alive with a single to right field and would later advance to second when Tilson reach on an infield error. Senior Riley Wada came up to bat with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and ripped the 1-0 pitch down the right field line, scoring Tilson and giving the Lutes a 7-6 victory in walk-off fashion.
 
Garcia and House each went 4-4 in game one, as they both drove in one a piece. The duo had eight of the Lutes 14 total hits in the game, and more than the Bruins had as a team (6). The win was credited to House who got it done in her two innings of work where she allowed just one hit.
 
Game Two
 
Similar to the first game on Saturday, the Bruins struck first with a single and double that scored one on a fielder's choice back to Lutes starter Rachel Treves. The Lutes answered the call with three hits in the home half of the first as Landes led off with a single followed by a Garcia single down the right field line. Smithson's bat stayed hot, scoring Landes on a single to left field; tying the game up at 1-1.
 
The Bruins opened the third inning with a leadoff double to left field, but a strikeout and pair of fly-outs kept the game tied. George Fox broke the ice with a leadoff solo home run to open the top of the sixth inning, putting them ahead 2-1. The Lutes first hit since the opening frame came in the bottom of the sixth off the bat of Wright who sent one into shallow left field. The lone home run in favor of the Bruins proved to be the difference, as George Fox split the weekend series two games apiece. The Lutes struckout just twice in game two, but their bats were unable to find the holes in the defense as the Bruins ended the game on a diving catch in centerfield.
 
George Fox out-hit the Lutes in game two, six to four. All four of the Lutes hits came from batters one through four in the lineup, as Landes, Garcia, Wright, and Smithson had one each. Smithson also held the Lutes lone RBI of the game. Treves earned her third loss of the season as she went all seven innings inside the circle, earning two runs on six hits while walking four and striking out seven.
 
The Lutes return to PLU Field once again next weekend as they are set to host Willamette in a four-game series with two games on Saturday (12 p.m. & 2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m. & 1 p.m.).
 
To follow Lutes coverage all season long, please follow us on social media; PLU Athletics on Facebook, @GoLutes on X.com and Instagram.