By Jared Beilby, Student Intern

NEWBERG, Ore. – Despite limiting Pacific Lutheran University to only four hits and no earned runs, the George Fox University Bruins dropped their third straight game to the visiting Lutes 2-0 in the finale of their four-game Northwest Conference softball season series Saturday here on a rain-soaked Morse Field.

After the two sides played twice last night to beat the expected weekend rain, George Fox (19-12, 8-11 NWC) and Pacific Lutheran (12-19, 9-10 NWC) played only one game on Saturday on what had originally been scheduled as a doubleheader day. The win helped Pacific Lutheran sneak in front of George Fox in the NWC standings as the Lutes now sit in fifth while George Fox is sixth.

Rain trickled through the first several innings as Allyssa DenDekker (6-6) pitched a strong complete game in the circle for the Bruins, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out three.  Even with her solid outing, the Lutes managed to score one run in the second inning when Alison Behrands hit a double to send home Lindsey Matsunaga, who had reached on an error. The Lutes put together one more run an inning later as Katie Lowery singled in Spencer Sherwin, who had also reached on a lead-off error.

The Bruins never crossed the plate, but Becca Olsen connected for a center-field double in the fourth inning and Kelsey Hansen added a single in the fifth.  They were the only two hits allowed by Leah Butters (6-9), who pitched a complete game while walking a trio of batters and striking out five.

Next: George Fox hosts the University of Puget Sound (2-24, 1-19 NWC) in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Sunday… Pacific Lutheran heads over to Forest Grove, Ore., to play Pacific University in a 12 p.m. doubleheader Sunday.