POLK COUNTY, FLA.  –  The Spring Games continued to treat the Luther College softball team well Sunday morning. While the Norse dropped their first game of the trip, they rebounded for their 10th win of the 2023 season, improving to 10-2 thanks to their win over Trinity College. Despite a strong bid for a comeback, Luther fell to Hamilton College 7-5 before defeating Trinity 6-3 in its second game of the day. 

GAME ONE: LUTHER (5) vs. HAMILTON (7)
Game one very quickly did not go Luther's way, as the Norse found themselves in a 3-0 deficit after the first inning. The Continentals scored three runs on three hits in the top of the first before extending their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the second on a Luther error. However, the Norse answered by scoring three unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings, cutting the Hamilton lead to 5-3 with three and a half remaining innings to play. A homer by Belle Berg (Chatfield, Minn. / Chatfield) started the Luther rally before an RBI double from Abby Spore (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Kennedy) cut the lead to 5-2 after three. 

The momentum seemed to fully swing in the Norse direction in the top of the fourth. One out hits by Katie Brennan (Lansing, Iowa / Kee) and Chloe Wagner (Blair, Wis. / Blair-Taylor) put two runners in scoring position with just one out on the board. After a strikeout in the nine spot, Hamilton opted to intentionally walk Berg to load the bases, a move that seemed costly one batter later. After an eight pitch at bat, Anna Forari (Bettendorf, Iowa / Bettendorf) drew a bases loaded walk, allowing Brennan to score and cut the lead to 5-3. However, Luther was unable to further capitalize on its scoring opportunity, as Spore struck out swinging to end the Norse threat. 

Unfortunately, the Continentals responded by scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning, regaining a four run advantage at 7-3. Again, Luther responded by cutting the lead to 7-4 on a Wagner single, but a base running mistake ended the Norse threat before it could get started. Olivia Engler (Atlantic, Iowa / Atlantic) held Hamilton scoreless in the sixth, giving Luther a chance to tie or take a lead in the top of the seventh. It seemed like the comeback was possible, as a double from Sydney Schultz (Raymond, Iowa / Columbus Catholic) and single from Riley Sauser (Ely, Iowa / Cedar Rapids Prairie) whittled the lead to 7-5. That was the closest the Norse would come to catching the Continentals, as back-to-back popups ended the Luther rally. 

GAME TWO: LUTHER (6) vs. TRINITY (3)
Just like in game one, the Norse found themselves in a 3-0 hole after the first inning, as errors once again proved costly for Luther's defense. However, the Norse had a better response in game two, as they scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 5-3 lead over the Bantams. Schultz and Sauser kicked off the inning with a walk and single before both scored on a double by Crown. She then scored on a single by Wagner, tying the game at 3-3 with no outs. 

Two batters later, Luther took its first lead of the day, as an RBI groundout from Brennan scored Wagner to make it 4-3. Another groundout to the shortstop then scored Raven Allen (Birmingham, Ala. / McAdroy) from third, making it 5-3 Norse after two innings of play. 

The 5-3 lead was enough for Sam Thompson (West Salem, Wis. / West Salem) and Luther's defense, as they handled the Bantams offense throughout the remaining five innings of play. Thompson sent Trinity down in order in the top of the third before handling threats in both the fourth and fifth inning to preserve the 5-3 lead. The Norse, meanwhile, tried to add to their lead, putting runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth and fifth. However, no one was able to score, resulting in the 5-3 Luther lead after five innings of play. 

The Norse did add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Allison Martinez (Brighton, Colo. / Brighton) scored from third to extend the lead to 6-3. While it wasn't necessary, Trinity did try to make things interesting in the top of the seventh, as the Bantams opened the inning with a single off Engler. However, it looked like no harm, no foul, as back-to-back groundouts seemingly ended the Trinity threat. The Bantams were far from done, though, as Engler hit and walked the next two batters, resulting in a bases loaded situation. It was Brennan who eventually secured victory for the Norse, as she scooped up a grounder and touched third base to end Trinity's threat and secure the 6-3 victory for Luther. 

TOP NORSE

• Sydney Schultz (Raymond, Iowa / Columbus Catholic) went 3-4 at the plate in Luther's loss to Hamilton and scored one of the team's five runs. Katie Brennan (Lansing, Iowa / Kee) and Chloe Wagner (Blair, Wis. / Blair-Taylor) both tallied two hits in the loss. 
• Sam Thompson (West Salem, Wis. / West Salem) earned her second win in Florida, improving to 4-1 this season, while Olivia Engler (Atlantic, Iowa / Atlantic) picked up her first save with the Norse. 
• Wagner continued to impress against Trinity, going 3-3 with one run and one RBI for Luther, while Riley Sauser (Ely, Iowa / Cedar Rapids) was 2-3 with a run. 

UP NEXT
Luther will face two familiar foes on day three of The Spring Games, as the Norse are set to take on UW-Platteville and Carleton College Monday morning. First pitch against the Pioneers is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CT in Polk County, Florida, while the game against Carleton will start around 1:00 p.m.