Lutes Split Softball Twinbill With Loggers

TACOMA - Pacific Lutheran won the opening game of a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader against Puget Sound on Saturday, 11-4, before the hosts Loggers came back to pick up a win in the second game, 7-6.

The Loggers opened up a 3-0 advantage in the third inning of the first game, but the Lutes came storming back with nine runs in the top of the fourth to earn the victory.

Stacey Hagensen led off with a single, advanced to second on a throwing error and scored on Kaaren Hatlen's base hit. Hatlen scored on Lauren Watson's RBI double, and pinch hitter Montessa Califano and Caitlin Brown both followed with two-run singles. Hagensen, batting for the second time in the inning, clubbed a two-run homer, and Califano finished the rally by drawing a bases-loaded walk for her third RBI of the inning.

Hagensen and Hatlen led PLU offensively with three hits each, while Watson and Califano both collected a pair of PLU's 15 hits. Hagensen improved her season pitching record to 5-6, giving up five hits and striking out five Loggers batters in 6 2/3 innings of work.

In the second game, Puget Sound slowly built a 6-0 lead through three innings, but PLU wouldn’t go quietly as it rallied and eventually tied the game up at 6-6. The Lutes got on the board with a run in the fourth on Hatlen's RBI double, and they added two more in the fifth on a run-scoring double by Hagensen followed by Hatlen's RBI single.

Trailing 6-3 entering the top of the seventh, the Lutes rallied to tie the game. A pinch hit single by Lauren Watson, a UPS error and a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position. Califano brought in the first run with a ground out. Amber Roberts then bunted for a hit, driving in the second run. The next run scored on another Loggers error, but the rally died when Katie Hanten lined out with two runners on base.

The Loggers then won the game with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the inning. Puget Sound finished with 10 hits while the Lutes managed seven, including two each by Hagensen and Hatlen. That duo both collected five hits in the doubleheader.

Auriel Sperberg collected the win for the Loggers while Ramona Lorton picked up the loss in relief of Jackie Martinez.

The Lutes wrap up the home portion of the 2010 season at noon tomorrow when they host the Loggers in another doubleheader.

- PLU -