The Luverne Cardinals softball team open the season Monday afternoon against Adrian-Ellsworth, defeating the visitors 15-0 in four innings.
The Cardinals scored five runs in the first inning with singles from Tori Serie and Payton Behr.
Luverne racked up three more runs in the second inning with a double from Carly Olson, scoring two runs, and a single from Belle Schmidt to score the third run, sending the Cardinals up to an 8-0 lead.
Two more runs scored in the third inning off no hits.
Finishing off the fourth and final inning, the Cardinals scored five runs off a single from Tori Serie and a two-run single from Anika Boll.
Defensively most of the work was done from the mound, and the Cardinals did not commit any errors.
Adrian-Ellsworth’s defense was charged with two errors in the four innings.
The LHS pitchers combined to throw the shut-out. Gracie Nath started on the mound for the Cardinals and pitched three innings, giving up no hits, no runs and walking no batters to get the victory for the Cardinals.
Nath struck out eight of the nine batters she faced. Ella Reisdorfer came in and threw one inning for the Cardinals in her varsity debut. She faced four batters and allowed one hit and no runs.
Leah Kruse took the loss for the Adrian-Ellsworth squad, pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, three strike-outs, 10 walks and 11 runs. Kaysie Lenz threw the final two-thirds inning for Adrian-Ellsworth, allowing four runs, one hit and two walks. Kruse had the only hit for Adrian-Ellsworth.
Luverne is set to face the Edgerton Dutchmen at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, at home.
AB R H BI
Connell 1 3 0 0
Behr 2 4 1 0
Olson 2 2 1 3
Bork 2 2 0 0
Smidt 1 1 1 2
Siebenahler 1 0 0 0
Boll 2 1 1 1
Nath 1 0 0 1
Swenson 1 0 0 0
Serie 3 1 2 1
Reisdorfer 3 1 0 0