JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team played its first home non-conference double-header of 2016 on Tuesday (March 8), but Mother Nature forced the second game to end early. Maryville handed LU a pair of losses, taking the first game, 10-0, and winning the second, 2-1, by virtue of being ahead when pouring rain ended the contest in the top of the sixth.

Both teams had three hits in the night cap, with Maryville (8-2) tallying two in the top of the second. The first was a double, and the second was a base hit to bring in the runner, who had moved to third on a passed ball. Following a stolen base, two more passed balls allowed the Saints to bring in a second run, and Maryville took the early 2-0 lead.

Lincoln (2-17) kept the Saints off the board after that point, and finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Lauren Stamp reached on a walk and Spencer Silva was hit by a pitch. Sarah Westhoff then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both players into scoring position. Jessica Wolken then singled through the right side to bring home Stamp, cutting the Maryville lead to 2-1.

The Blue Tigers forced Maryville to go three-up, three-down in the fifth, and Kiley Kerr led the fifth inning off by being issued a walk. After advancing to second on a ground out, Kerr took third when an error allowed Tori Nienhueser to reach base, giving LU runners on the corners. A strikeout, however, ended Lincoln's final offensive frame.

Rain began to fall in the top of the sixth, and ended up coming down so hard that the game entered a rain delay following two at-bats. Due to how hard the rain was pouring down, the coaches decided to call the contest, giving Maryville a 2-1 win.

Hope McLeod had Lincoln's other two hits of the game while Macie Kinsey allowed just three hits and two runs, neither of which were earned, in the circle. Stamp led LU with six putouts and McLeod had three while Nienhueser and Wolken each had two. Silva turned three assists while Nienhueser finished with two.

In the first game, Maryville took advantage of 13 hits to earn a five-inning win. The Saints scored twice in the first inning and three times in the second, and closed the game with a combined five runs over the fourth and fifth frames. Four of Maryville's runs came on ground-rule doubles.

The Blue Tigers were held to three hits, which came courtesy of Silva, Kerr and Megan Heimbaugh. Kinsey posted a team-high nine putouts and Heimbaugh finished with two. Nienhueser, Silva and Madison Ragar each turned two assists.

Lincoln will begin a 10-game road stretch on Saturday (March 12), as the Blue Tigers will be in Tahlequah, Okla. for a 2:00 p.m. CST double-header against Northeastern State.