ROLLA, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team mounted a late comeback effort, scoring three runs in the final two innings, but the Blue Tigers dropped a 7-6 decision to Missouri S&T on Wednesday (April 6). That outcome came in the second contest of a double-header, with the Miners also taking the first game, 15-4.

In the night cap, Missouri S&T broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the bottom of the second, but Lincoln tied the game in the third inning on a two-RBI double from Tori Nienhueser. Jessica Wolken started the rally by driving in Lauren Stamp on a single into left center, and Nienhueser made it a 3-3 affair with her hit to plate Wolken and Hope McLeod.

Missouri S&T (13-26) broke the tie again in the bottom of the third by scoring on a wild pitch, and later brought in two runs on two hits in the fifth inning. Macie Kinsey, Sarah Westhoff and Avery Myers each led off the sixth frame with hits, with Myers' single through the middle bringing in Kinsey to cut the deficit down to 6-4.

The Miners added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, and it ended up being the difference-maker. In the top of the seventh, down by three, Lincoln (4-37) mounted one last rally, beginning with Nienhueser being issued a two-out walk. Kinsey later hit a homerun to pull the Blue Tigers to within one, but a ground out ended the contest.

Kinsey finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and two RBI. Spencer Silva also had a hit for Lincoln in the night cap while Westhoff had a strikeout in the circle. Stamp led the defense with six putouts, and Westhoff was next with five, while Wolken added four assists and Nienhueser provided three.

In the opener, Missouri S&T took an early lead with a five-run first inning, but Lincoln came back to pull within two halfway through the fourth. A wild pitch allowed Myers to score in the second inning, and Nienhueser reached home on a single from Stamp in the third. In the fourth inning, a solo homerun by Kinsey pulled Lincoln to within 5-3 of the Miners.

In the bottom of the fourth, however, a two-run homer sparked Missouri S&T to a 10-run inning and control of the contest. Lincoln's only other score after that came courtesy of Silva, who hit a solo shot over the left centerfield wall in the top of the fifth.

Nienhueser and Myers each had two hits while Wolken, Westhoff and Kiley Kerr finished with one apiece. Kinsey and Ragar each struck out Miner batters in the circle. Myers had a team-high three putouts for LU while Silva, Ragar and Kinsey each had two.

Up next for the Blue Tigers is a home-and-home with Lindenwood, beginning on Friday (April 8) with a 2:00 p.m. CDT double-header in St. Charles, Mo. The two teams will then play a twinbill in Jefferson City at Duensing Field on Saturday (April 9), with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CDT.