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Luther celebrates its win over #9 Bethel to open the 2023 season.
3
Winner Luther College LCSB 1-0
1
Bethel University BU 2-1
Winner
Luther College LCSB
1-0
3
Final
1
Bethel University BU
2-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Luther College LCSB 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 1
Bethel University BU 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3

W: Cooper, Kendra (1-0) L: K. Simacek (1-1)

2
UW-La Crosse UWLSB 0-1
8
Winner Luther College LCSB 2-0
UW-La Crosse UWLSB
0-1
2
Final
8
Luther College LCSB
2-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
UW-La Crosse UWLSB 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 9 2
Luther College LCSB 0 0 1 6 0 1 X 8 10 1

W: Thompson, Sam (1-0) L: Weinzierl (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball upends #9 Bethel, UW-La Crosse to open season

MANKATO, Minn.  – The Luther College softball team is off to a rip roaring start to open the 2023 season. The Norse earned a clean sweep in their first games of the year, upending #9 Bethel University 3-1 in their season debut before defeating UW-La Crosse 8-2. With the wins, Luther opens the season with a 2-0 record for the third time in the last four seasons. 

GAME ONE: LUTHER (3) vs. #9 BETHEL (1)
Luther's season started off with a bang (literally), as the unranked Norse upended the #9 Royals in their 2023 opener. In fact, Luther wasted no time getting on the board, as the team scored all three runs in the top of the first inning. With one out and no one on, Sydney Schultz (Raymond, Iowa / Columbus Catholic) and Abby Spore (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Kennedy) tallied back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second for senior shortstop Belle Berg (Chatfield, Minn. / Chatfield). The Norse four-hitter delivered, blasting a home run over the fence to give Luther an early 4-0 lead over the #9 team in the nation. 

Bethel responded in kind, scoring one run off Kendra Cooper (Lansing, Iowa / Kee) in the bottom of the inning, but that was all the Royals managed against the lone fifth year senior on the Norse roster. Cooper was practically perfect in every way, throwing seven complete innings of work in her season debut, striking out 12 while surrendering just three hits and three walks. Luther's defense also had Cooper's back, as the Norse committed just one fielding error compared to Bethel's three. 

Luther looked to add to its lead in both the second and fifth innings, putting runners in scoring position with less than two outs. In the top of the second, Katie Brennan (Lansing, Iowa / Kee) and Ken Vavrichek (Bloomington, Minn. / The Blake School) were stranded on second and third, while Schultz and Alison Matinez (Brighton, Colo. / Brighton) were abandoned in a similar position in the top of the fifth. With Cooper dealing, though, those three first innings runs proved to be enough, though the Royals seemingly put together a rally of their own in the bottom of the seventh. After a groundout to the pitcher for out number one, Cooper surrendered her first hit since the first inning of play before a walk put runners on first and second with one out. It was no harm, no foul for the Norse, as Cooper sent the next two batters down swinging, cementing the 3-1 upset with her 11th and 12th strikeouts of the day. 

GAME TWO: LUTHER (8) vs. UW-La Crosse (2)
The Norse bats came alive in game two, as they put up eight runs on 10 hits against the Eagles. Unlike game one, though, Luther had work from behind in game two, as UW-La Crosse took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second. The Norse eventually tied it in the bottom of the third as Vavrichek scored on a Spore double to make it 1-1 after three. 

The Eagles took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth, but it was a very short lived lead for the visitors, as Luther went on to score six runs in the bottom of the inning. Leah Crown (Plato, Minn. / Central) singled through the left side to open the inning before a walk by Livia Williams (Coralville, Iowa / Iowa City West) and a bunt single by Raven Allen (Birmingham, Ala. / McAdory) loaded the bases with zero outs. The Norse took full advantage, scoring six runs on four consecutive hits, including back-to-back doubles by Schultz and Spore, to take a 7-2 lead over UW-La Crosse. 

Luther added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Schultz scored on a Spore double to make it 8-2, but the seven runs were more than enough for Sam Thompson (West Salem, Wis. / West Salem) and Olivia Engler (Atlantic, Iowa / Atlantic). The duo put on a show in the circle, giving up two runs on nine combined hits in seven innings of work, securing the 8-2 lead for the Norse. 

TOP NORSE

  • Abby Spore (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Kennedy) was the top hitter for Luther on Saturday. The junior catcher hit .625 with five hits in eight at bats, including three doubles and four RBI. That included a 4-4 performance against UW-La Crosse in game two. 
  • Belle Berg (Chatfield, Minn. / Chatfield) provided the big hit against Bethel, as she went 1-3 at the plate with a home run and three RBI. 
  • Kendra Cooper (Lansing, Iowa / Kee) earned her first win of the season, surrendering just one run in seven complete innings of work. The fifth year senior additionally tallied 12 strikeouts in the complete game effort. 
  • Olivia Engler (Atlantic, Iowa / Atlantic) earned her first win in a Norse uniform, pitching the final three innings of Luther's 8-2 win over the Eagles. 

UP NEXT
The Norse will close the weekend with two more games at the Bethany Lutheran Invitational on Sunday, February 26. Luther will open the day with a 8:00 a.m. game against St. Catherine University before taking on Macalester College at 10:30 a.m. in Mankato, Minnesota. 

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