April 15, 2007

Lutes Split NWC Doubleheader with Willamette

Beth Kenck - three hits, two RBI in win

Cassie Canales - four-hit shutout

Game One
Game Two

SALEM, ORE. – Pacific Lutheran scored three unearned runs in game two to claim a 3-0 win and earn a split of a Northwest Conference softball doubleheader with Willamette on Sunday afternoon. The Bearcats won the opener, 2-0.

PLU is now 12-13 overall and 6-12 in the Northwest Conference and Willamette is 16-11 overall and 10-8 in the NWC.

In the second game, the Lutes tallied an unearned run in the first inning when Heather Walling singled, stole second and eventually scored on an error. They tacked on two more unearned runs on Beth Kenck's two-out, two-run single in the sixth. Cassie Canales went the distance on the mound for PLU, holding Willamette to only four hits. She walked two and struck out four to improve her record to 5-5.

Willamette put together a rally of its own in the seventh inning. With two down and runners on second and third, LaShawna Holcomb was called out for interfering with PLU shortstop Carly Starke on a ground ball, thus ending the game.

Kenck had three hits and and two RBI and Walling added a pair of hits for the Lutes in the second contest.

The Lutes out-hit Willamette, 5-3, in the first game, but Nikki Franchi kept the Lutes at bay until the seventh inning. With two outs and a runner on first, Vanessa Bryant and Hadley Schmitt hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Franchi struck out pinch hitter Ashley Lopez to end the game.

Franchi pitched seven innings, allowing no walks and striking out 10 PLU batters. Schmitt took the loss for the Lutes, allowing two runs on only three hits while walking one and striking out 10.

The Lutes next host the Pacific Boxers in a conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

- PLU -