Lutes Open 2007 Season With Sweep of St. Martin’s

Game One Line Score
Game Two Line Score

Hadley Schmitt

Cassie Canales

TACOMA, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran picked up a pair of 5-2 softball victories over the St. Martin’s Saints in the 2007 season opener for both teams on a cold Sunday afternoon at the PLU field.

The Lutes got outstanding complete-game pitching performances from a pair of freshman on Sunday. Hadley Schmitt allowed two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks in the opener. Cassie Canales gave up two unearned runs on just four hits while striking out four and walking three in the nightcap.

In the first game, St. Martin’s scored its two runs in the first inning on three hits, including a two-run single by Kristin Davidson.

The Lutes got a run back in the first when Heather Walling led off with a walk and then stole second. The catcher’s throw hit Walling’s leg and rolled into left field, allowing Walling to race all the way around the bases for the initial PLU score.

Pacific Lutheran scored three times in the second on a pair of hits and two Saints errors. Alana Schutt had the big blow for the Lutes, hitting a two-run single to right field. PLU added its final run in the fifth when Kathy Kirkevold singled to drive in Carly Starke, who led off with an infield single.

The Lutes finished with eight hits including two each from Kirkevold, Schmitt and Schutt. St. Martin’s had seven safeties with Danni Ballard, Lisa Holombo and Davidson all getting a pair of hits. Ryanne Horton took the loss for the Saints, allowed four runs on three hits with four walks in three innings.

Canales had a shutout going into the seventh inning of the nightcap when her defense committed two errors, allowing the Saints’ two unearned runs. Pacific Lutheran finished the game with five errors.

Pacific Lutheran opened the scoring with two runs in the first on RBI singles by Starke and Shelby Johnston. It added a run in the third on Schutt’s RBI groundout, got another in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Beth Kenck, and then added an unearned run in the fifth inning.

Starke and Canales both had a pair of the Lutes’ nine hits in the second game. Tana Lingle took the loss for the Saints, allowing two runs on three hits in one inning of work. Holombo gave up three runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits in five innings of relief.

Pacific Lutheran returns to action next Saturday, hosting the George Fox Bruins at 1 p.m. in a Northwest Conference doubleheader.

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