The Wartburg College softball team (17-13, 1-7) will host No. 8-ranked Luther College (21-6, 4-4) in a doubleheader Saturday, April 19, starting at 2 p.m..
 
The Knights lost a heartbreaker a week ago when Buena Vista scored twice in the seventh inning for a 3-1 win and a doubleheader sweep. Coach LeighAnn LaFave's young Wartburg squad, with 14 freshmen and no seniors on the 21-player roster, hopes to continue the improvement in its learning curve after going 6-34 and 4-30 in its prior two campaigns.
 
The leading hitters are freshmen Taylor Smola (Stevens Point, Wis.), .394 and Courtney Belk (Bettendorf), .389; and junior Britt Schoon (Des Moines Christian), .375. Smola has a slugging percentage of .596, with eight doubles, four home runs, and 29 RBIs.

Junior Paige Blom (Pella Christian) leads Wartburg with a 7-6 record and 3.25 ERA on a staff with an overall 3.68 ERA. Two freshmen hurlers follow with 4-3 records. Katie Kuch (Prairie) has a 3.16 ERA, and Rebecca Sieve (North Polk) is at 4.44, while classmate Karleigh Crepin (Apple Valley, Minn.) is 2-1 and 3.20.
 
Luther is coached by 1999 Wartburg graduate Renae Rost Hartl, who was named the college's 2013 John Kurtt Alumni Coach of the Year. The Norse, who have previous seven- and eight-game winning streaks this year, have won their last four. They boast a lineup with four .400 hitters — Hiliary Pennington, .475; Miranda McCay, .457; Kelsey Rose, .453; and Carli Radil, .430.
 
Norse pitchers have an overall 2.25 ERA, led by workhorse Becca Girvan, 11-3 and 2.28. Other hurlers on the deep staff include Topanga Skiles, 5-2, 2.52; Annie Versnik, 3-1, 2.05; and Erica Manske, 2-0, 2.00.