TACOMA, Wash. — Puget Sound softball dropped the opener of its final regular-season series Saturday, falling 7–1 to Pacific Lutheran at PLU Field.
The Lutes (25–13) capitalized on a three-run first inning and never looked back. Brooke Gutierrez led the offensive charge with a two-run home run in the first and added a run-scoring single in the fourth. She finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
The Loggers (9–27) responded briefly in the second. Mikayla Johnson worked a leadoff walk, advanced on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on a groundout by Alyssa Figueroa to cut the deficit to 3–1. Puget Sound recorded four total hits, with Madariaga going 2-for-3 and Figueroa driving in the lone run.
But Pacific Lutheran continued to pile on. A sac groundout by Bri Sarae and RBI singles from Kamalani Doctor and Gutierrez pushed the Lutes' lead to 7–1 by the end of the fourth. Sarae also swiped a base and drove in two.
Logger starter Alison Madia (2–11) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs over 3.2 innings. Johnson came on in relief and pitched 2.1 scoreless frames.
PLU's Reese Rhinehart (7–5) struck out nine and scattered four hits in a complete-game effort.
In game two, the story was similar. Puget Sound's offense just couldn't get going as the Loggers fell 8-0 in a six-inning contest.
Logger starter Nyomi Estrada went the distance in the circle but was tagged for 11 hits and eight earned runs. The Lutes, who improved to 26-13, scored in each of the first four innings to build a commanding lead.
Puget Sound (9-28) had few opportunities to respond. The best scoring chance came in the top of the first when Tanimura worked a walk and advanced to third on a double to right-center by Aislind Dail. However, Tanimura was thrown out at the plate trying to score, and the Loggers never got another runner past second.
Dail finished the day 2-for-3 with her first double of the season, while Madariaga added the only other Logger hit.
For Pacific Lutheran, Bri Sarae led the charge. She reached base three times, homered in the fourth, doubled in the third, and drove in three runs while scoring four. Simplicia added a solo homer of her own, and Kamalani Doctor went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
The Lutes' pitching silenced Puget Sound at the plate, striking out eight and allowing just three hits in a complete-game shutout.
