WAVERLY, Iowa --- No. 23 softball split a midweek doubleheader against Luther College on Wednesday, Apr. 29 where the Knights walked off Luther 4-3 in game one before falling 4-2 in game two.
Â
The Knights are now 27-9 overall and 12-2 in American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) play while Luther moves to 20-16 and 8-6 in A-R-C play.
Â
Following today's results, Wartburg still controls its own path to a conference championship as the Knights will need one win against Coe to clinch a share of the A-R-C title and the number one seed in the A-R-C Tournament.
Â
Game Summary
- Game One
- Second Inning
- Hannah Hoefer and the Wartburg defense worked around two base runners in scoring position in the top of the second to keep the game scoreless headed to the bottom half
- Third Inning
- Alexis Larson helped the Knights get out of the top of the third inning with a pickoff attempt to first base that led to an out at third base
- Wartburg recorded its first hit of the game when Carley Bredar doubled to the right center field gap and then she was brought home by an RBI single from Addy Wells to make the score 1-0
- Fourth Inning
- Following a one-two-three inning for the Wartburg defense, Bella Mulder led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to center field that led to an RBI pinch-hit single from Rylie Metz that pushed Wartburg's lead to 2-0
- Fifth Inning
- Hassel led off the fifth with another double for Wartburg, which led to her stealing home after her and Mulder executed a double steal that made the score 3-0
- Seventh Inning
- The Luther offense rallied in the top half of the seventh as the Norse turned  five hits into three runs to tie the game at 3-3
- Bredar and Hassel each provided clutch at bats in the bottom of the seventh as Bredar reached on a single to left field to set up a walk-off double down the left field from Hassel to give Wartburg a 4-3 win
- Game Two
- First Inning
- The Norse used a one-out triple followed by a single to bring across one run in the opening frame
- In the bottom of the first, Wartburg responded with a two-run shot to left center field from Regan Hassel to score both Bredar and herself to make the score 2-1
- Third Inning
- Luther retook the lead following a two hit and two run top of the third highlighted by a leadoff solo shot
- Fifth Inning
- Following a quiet fourth inning, the Knights closed the fifth inning with a double play to keep the score at 3-2
- Stephanie Kiefer singled in the bottom half for Wartburg's first hit since the first inning
- Sixth Inning
- Luther added an insurance run with another solo home run in the top of the sixth to make the score 4-2
- Seventh Inning
- Wartburg was able to make solid contact in the final two innings, but the Luther defense kept everything in front of them as they held off the Knights for a 4-2 win
Â
Top Performers
Â
Notes/Streaks
- The Knights are now 3-1 in their last four matchups against Luther
- Luther leads the all-time series 71-48
- Today was the last conference matchup between these two programs
- Wartburg clinches a share of the A-R-C regular season championship and the first overall seed in the conference tournament with one win in Saturday's doubleheader vs Coe
- Wins the conference outright with a sweep
- Hassel (64), Happ (54) and Bredar (51) are in fifth, eighth and ninth place all-time in stolen bases
- Sixth place is at 58 and seventh is 57
- Wartburg has now hit 25 home runs as a team this season (tied for 28th in Division III)
- 10 steals away as a team from setting a team record for stolen bases in a season
- Hassel now has five home runs this season and six in her career
- Wartburg's 10-game winning streak was the longest of the season
- Hoefer is now 12-3 in pitching decisions this season
- The Knights were held to a season low two hits in game two
Â
Next Time Out
The Knights will close A-R-C play on Saturday, May 2 at home against Coe College beginning at 1 p.m. at Lynes Field.
Â
