Softball posts six wins in three days

The nationally ranked #9 Luther College softball swept Viterbo, Buena Vista and U-W Eau-Claire April 9-11 to run their season record to 20-3.

In game one against Viterbo, Lauran Snyder (‘12) hit two solo home runs, the first in the second inning and the second in the fifth. Snyder’s second of the game followed Abby Christian’s (‘12) solo blast, giving the Norse back-to-back home runs and the lead for good. Snyder was 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Lexy Determan (‘11) was credited with the win. Determan pitched 5 2/3 innings, struck out five and gave up three runs on five hits. Kim Lambert (‘10) was credited with the save. She struck out the very next batter she faced and set the Luther career record with her 365th strike out.

Luther scored nine runs on 10 hits en route to the five-inning victory in the nightcap. Tiffany Kruse (‘10) and Bre Twait (‘11) hit home runs during Luther’s four-run second frame. Twait’s was a solo shot to left field, while Kruse’s was a two-run blast to the same field.

Christian, Anna Simonson (‘10) and Kelsey Kittleson (‘12) combined for seven of Luther’s 10 hits.

Lambert went the distance in the circle, striking out eight, walking two and giving up just one hit.

In game one against Buena Vista, the Norse pounded out 13 hits and scored three runs in both the second and fifth innings. Anna Simonson (2-for-3), Christian (2-for-4), Kruse (2-for-4) and Kayla Denner (2-for-3) (‘10) led the offensive attack. Kruse hit a two-run home run in the fifth.

Determan pitched five solid innings, striking out 12 batters, walking three and allowing just two hits.

Lambert threw her second no-hitter and fifth shutout of the season in the nightcap. Lambert struck out five and walked three while facing just 18 batters.

Christian (2-for-3) and Kruse (2-for-2) combined to drive in five of Luther’s eight runs. Christian drove in one run during Luther’s three-run first inning with a single. In the fourth frame, she hit a two-run double to center field. Kruse hit her second home run of the day and team-best fifth of the season, a two-run blast over the left field fence in the first. Simonson (2-for-3) scored twice, bringing her total for the afternoon to four.

In game one against U-W Eau Claire, Twait was 2-for-3, scored twice and drove in two runs. Twait hit a two-run home run (3) in the bottom of the sixth, driving in Denner who started the inning with a double off the center field fence. Christian, Kittleson, Kelsey Hake (‘10) and Denner each drove in one run.

Determan went the distance in the circle. She allowed three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out three.

In game two, Kruse drove in four runs and Snyder drove in two in the nightcap victory. Kruse (2-for-4) hit a two-run home run in the third and drove in two more runs with a triple in the fifth. Snyder (3-for-4) gave the Norse an early lead with a one-run double in the first and also hit a solo home run in the third. Hake and Simonson also provided two hits each.

Lambert allowed three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out 11.