SPOKANE, Wash. — The 21st-ranked Pacific Lutheran University softball squad cemented a share of its first Northwest Conference regular season title since 2003 on Saturday with a decisive sweep of host Whitworth University. Allowing just five hits over the doubleheader, the Lutes earned a pair of shutouts by scores of 15-0 and 6-0 to grab at least a share of the title and hosting rights for the 2026 NWC Tournament. 
 
The Lutes (30-8, 22-4 NWC) steamrolled the Pirates (11-26, 9-17 NWC) in game one, cranking out 16 hits and scoring five runs in the first inning in the mercy rule victory.

Whitworth walked the opening three batters of the game before an Aby Redwine hit by pitch brought in Kaya Collado for the first run of the day. A Zoe Smithson single plated Paola Garcia before Lex Ahlo-Garcia and Jaycie Simpliciano both brought in runs on a hit by pitch and a walk, respectively. An Ashlyn Sera sacrifice fly brought in Smithson, giving the visiting Lutes a 5-0 edge.

Smithson belted a two-run home run in the second inning to make it 7-0 before PLU piled on five more runs in the third inning. A Garcia RBI single led things off in the third before RBI hits from Kamalani Doctor and Redwine along with a two-RBI single from Smithson to make it a double digit lead.

A Doctor single in the fourth scored two to make it 14-0 before a Reagan Dale sac fly scored Simpliciano in the fifth for the game's final run. 

Smithson was a perfect four-for-four at the plate with five RBIs and two runs scored while Doctor was three-for-three with three RBIs and three runs scored. Collado, Garcia, and Sera also finished with multiple hits in game one.

Paige Wilson collected the complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out six. 
 
Game two was scoreless until the top of the fifth inning. Collado got things started with a one out walk with pinch runner Fionna Duryea advancing to second on an infield single from Garcia. Both base runners moved up a base on a passed ball before a Doctor single up the middle scored both to install a 2-0 Lute lead.

Pacific Lutheran padded its lead in the top of the seventh, bringing in four runs.  A Doctor single scored Garcia to start things off before a single from Lex Ahlo-Garcia brought in Megan lands and Doctor. Sera made it a 6-0 scoreline with a single to right field, allowing Smithson to touch home plate.

Doctor finished the nightcap two-for-four with four RBIs while Ahlo-Garcia was two-for-three and Garcia had two hits and two runs scored.

Maiya Anderson was almost untouchable, allowing just two hits and one walk for the complete game shutout. 
 
The Lutes close out the regular season tomorrow with another doubleheader against Whitworth university. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.