Luther shortstop Alise Miller had a pair of homers Thursday.
CLERMONT, Fla. -- No. 7 Luther won a pair of contests Friday at the NTC Spring Games, defeating No. 17 Carthage 3-2 in the first game on the strength of Alise Miller's fourth-inning home run, then beating Middlebury 8-1 as Miller homered again and Topanga Skiles tossed a four-hitter.
Carthage entered the game hitting .500 as a team -- No. 1 in the nation -- but Becca Girvan held the Lady Reds to three hits en route to her seventh win.
Luther took a 2-0 lead in the first when Carli Radil's single drove in Miranda McCay and Hiliary Pennington. Carthage tied the score in the third, thanks to a Darian Pelsor double to center field. Then Miller produced the game-winner one inning later, a solo shot to left-center field. It was Miller's first home run of the year.
In the second game, Luther did all of its damage in the first three innings against Middlebury, scoring two in the first, five in the second and one in the third.
Kelsey Rose, Radil and Miller each had two RBI. Both Rose and Radil drove in runs in the first and second frames, while Miller hit a two-run home run in the second.Rose (3-5), Miller (2-4), Kristen Winter (3-4) and Lindsey Uphoff (3-4) all had multiple hit outings.
Skiles picked up her second win of the year in the circle. Skiles allowed one run on four hits and struck out five. She retired 17 of the last 18 batters she faced after giving up the lone run in the second.
