Norse Battle Toe-to-Toe With League Leading Knights
April 22, 2008
The Luther softball teamed battled toe-to-toe with league leading and nationally ranked #6 Wartburg in Waverly this afternoon, but unfortunately dropped two close ball games.
In game one, Wartburg pitcher Abi Robinson (6-2) tossed a three-hit shut out, as the Knights posted a 2-0 victory. Wartburg scored on a solo home run by Ashley Rogers in the first. The Knights added the insurance run in the third when Rogers singled, followed by a double by Ashley Steines.
Jackie Miller was 2-for-3 at the plate and Kim Hess was 1-for-4. Kim Lambert (9-2) pitched well, striking out 10 of the 23 batters she faced and only walked one.
An unearned run as the result of two Norse errors in the fifth, was the difference in game two as the Knights won the nightcap 2-1.
Luther scored its lone run in the top of the fourth when pinch runner Megan Reutlinger score on a grounder to second base off the bat of Miller. The Knights tied the game in the bottom half of this frame on a solo shot by Courtney Bain. The Norse tallied five hits in this contest, but were never able to string any of the hits together.
BreAnn VanDeer (8-2) went the distance in the circle. She allowed just two hits, walked four and struck out five.
The two losses dropped Luther's Iowa Conference record to 9-5, 26-9 overall. The first game loss also snapped Luther's 11-game win streak. Wartburg clinched at least a share of the IIAC regular season title and moved to 13-1 in league play, 24-6 overall.
The Norse will wrap up the regular season schedule at home this Saturday when they will host Central College (7-7, 20-13) for a double header that will begin at 2:00 p.m.
