NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College softball team scored a pair of big wins in a doubleheader sweep of Crown by the scores of 8-3 and 7-6 on Friday.

MLC 8, Crown 3

The Knights built a big early lead and never looked back in an 8-3 win in game one.

Elena Hoffman's two-run double in the first inning put the Knights on the board, and MLC continued to add on in the middle innings. The Knights scored three times in the third inning, and then added two in the fourth and one more in the fifth.

Crown threatened with three runs in the top of the fifth, but that was all the offense it could muster on the day. Brett Burger (2-5) went the distance on the mound for MLC and allowed three runs on only seven hits in an efficient outing.

Hoffman went 4-4 at the plate with three runs batted in, while Lisa Hoffer (three hits) and Samanatha Schoch (two hits) each scored a pair of runs.

MLC 7, Crown 6

MLC held off a furious seventh-inning rally by the Storm to complete the sweep with a 7-6 win in game two.

Jordyn Heckendorf started the game with a triple to lead a four-run first inning for the Knights, and then continued to befuddle Storm pitchers as she finished the game 4-4 with four runs scored. Kylie Wolf, Schoch, Burger and Lexi Fischer each drove in runs in the first inning, while Hoffer, Schoch and Wolf each drove in Heckendorf later in the game for the final three runs. 

MLC led 7-2 going into the top of the seventh, but the Storm would not go away quietly. Crown cut the Knights' five-run lead down to one and loaded the bases with one out, but Burger shut the door in relief by striking out one batter and fielding a comebacker for the final out of the game to secure the win and her first career save.

Megan Pung (1-4) recorded her first career win in her best collegiate performance on the rubber, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 6.1 innings. 

MLC improved to 3-9 overall and 3-3 in UMAC play with the sweep. Crown fell to 3-13 on the season and 1-8 in league play with the two defeats. 

The Knights will return to action at home tomorrow (Saturday, April 17) with a doubleheader against Northland. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.