The men’s tennis team won its second consecutive Iowa Conference championship with a 5-1 win over Coe College in the title match, its conference record 28th league championship.

Luther, who claimed the top seed of the tournament after posting a perfect 8-0 record against IIAC opponents during the regular season, improved to 29-9 on the season. The Norse advanced to the title match with a semifinal win over Cornell College.

The title match marked the sixth time in seven years that Luther and Coe have met in the finals.

After taking two of three doubles matches from Coe, the Norse received straight-set wins from Max Busch (‘10) , Harry Whiteley (‘11) and Thomas Orser (‘09) to clinch the 5-1 win.

With the win, Luther earns the Iowa Conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

The Norse will make their third appearance in school history and will face Carthage College (Wis.) in the opening round May 2. The winner faces nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) the following day.

Baseball takes two of three from Dubuque

After splitting a two-game series against Loras College, the Norse offense rebounded to take two of three games against the University of Dubuque in dominant fashion.

Jeff Riddle (‘10) and Matt Bruhn (‘11) were both 2-for-3, and Alex Ross (‘08) drove in two runs in a 13-2 game one win.

The Norse tallied 11 hits, scoring two runs in the third inning, four in the fifth, six in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Adam Kohls (‘09) secured a complete game en route to his fourth win of the season. He allowed one earned run on three hits, walking three and striking out seven.

Game two saw a come-from-behind victory on the part of the Spartans, who scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead, a score that would end up being final.

Jake Waddle (‘09), Jeff Hiatt (‘08) and Bruhn all tallied multiple hits. Waddle was credited with two RBIs, including a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning.

The Luther offense exploded in the rubber match, scoring 12 runs before the game was called due to the 10-run rule in a 12-0 victory.

Hiatt drove in five runs, while Waddle and Ben Schott (‘10) drove in two runs each. Hiatt was 3-for-4 at the plate, while Schott was 2-for-4, and Waddle was 1-for-3. Ross also had a big day with a 2-for-3 performance and scoring three times.

Joe Nelson (‘08) went the distance on the mound, spreading five hits over seven innings. Nelson faced 26 batters, walked three and struck out three.

The win gives the Norse an Iowa Conference record of 8-9, 14-15 overall.

Luther concludes its regular season at home against Cornell College May 2-3, when its postseason fate will be determined.

Softball falls to Wartburg, splits Central, heads to conference tournament

Luther ended its regular season, losing three of its final four games upon heading to the Iowa Conference Tournament.

Luther battled nationally ranked Wartburg College in two hard-fought games, losing both games by scores of 2-0 and 2-1.

Kim Lambert (‘10) pitched well in the opening game, striking out 10 batters and only walking one. The offense, however, was unable to get anything rolling in the contest.

An unearned run, the result of two Norse errors in the fifth, was the difference in game two as the Knights won the nightcap 2-1.

BreAnn VanDeer (‘09) went the distance in the circle. She allowed just two hits, walked four and struck out five.

Luther scored its lone run in the top of the fourth when pinch-runner Megan Reutlinger (‘08) scored on a grounder to second base off the bat of Jackie Miller (‘09).

In the Central series, Tami Magner (‘08) hit a walk-off, three-run home run over the left field fence to give the Norse a 7-4 victory in game one.

Luther took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Danielle Armbruster (‘09) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Magner. Another two-out rally in the fourth inning added to the Norse advantage.

Lambert singled as a pinch-hitter to score Tiffany Kruse (‘10), giving Luther a 2-0 lead. Central scored two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to go up 4-2, but Kruse was able to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-run home run.

The Norse retired Central in order in the seventh, setting up the game heroics by Magner.

VanDeer picked up the win in relief, going 2 1/3 innings, giving up one hit and two runs and striking out two.

The Dutch got off to a quick start in game two, scoring one run in the first, five in the third and two in the fourth inning to take an 8-0 lead. Luther was unable to overcome the deficit, dropping the regular season finale 9-3.

The Norse got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a solo home run by Ashley Hoffman (‘08).

After Central added another run in the sixth, Kruse smacked a two-run shot over the left field wall for her second home run of the day.

With a final record of 10-6 in the conference and 27-10 overall, the Norse received the fourth seed in the conference tournament.

Luther will face Central once again May 1 at Wartburg in Waverly.

Information compiled, in part, from Luther College Sports Info.