ST. CHARLES, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team racked up 17 hits, including four by Hope McLeod, in a 13-4 victory over Lindenwood on Friday (April 8). The Blue Tigers ended up splitting an MIAA twinbill with the Lady Lions, as Lindenwood won the second contest, 9-1.

In the opener, Lindenwood struck first with a pair of runs in the second inning, but the Blue Tigers responded with two runs of their own in the top of the third. McLeod, who went 4-for-4 at the plate in the win, and Jessica Wolken each led off with base hits. Tori Nienhueser then scored both players with a double in centerfield.

The 2-2 tie would hold until the bottom of the fourth, when an RBI triple and a sacrifice fly allowed Lindenwood (9-33, 6-16 MIAA) to re-take a two-run advantage. Lincoln (5-38, 4-18 MIAA) answered in a big way in the top of the fifth, starting with a two-RBI base hit by Macie Kinsey that brought in both McLeod and Nienhueser to tie the game.

Sarah Westhoff scored later in the frame on a double by Spencer Silva, and a base hit from Lauren Stamp gave Lincoln the two-run lead by plating Avery Myers. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed Silva to score, giving the Blue Tigers a 7-4 advantage.

Lincoln kept the offense going in the sixth, scoring six runs on five hits to end the contest an inning early. Back-to-back RBI singles by Myers and Silva respectively scored Nienhueser and Kinsey, and a base hit by McLeod brought in Myers. Wolken followed with a base hit to plate Silva, and a single from Nienhueser, making her the seventh-straight Blue Tiger to reach base, closed the scoring by plating both Kiley Kerr and McLeod.

Madison Ragar earned her third win of the season in a complete game effort in the circle. Myers and Stamp each tallied three hits, while Wolken, Nienhueser and Silva had two hits apiece. Nienhueser recorded four RBI, and McLeod scored three runs.

Defensively, Kinsey and Westhoff each had five putouts and Myers recorded four. Ragar finished with a team-high five assists while Nienhueser was next with two.

In the second game, it was Lindenwood's turn for a big inning, as the Lady Lions scored five runs on three hits and two Blue Tiger errors in the bottom of the first frame. Lindenwood took a 7-0 lead before Lincoln finally got on the board in the top of the fourth on a solo homerun by Stamp. The Lady Lions later ended the game in five innings on a two-run double.

Lincoln was held to four hits in the night cap, one each by McLeod, Nienhueser, Stamp and Kinsey. Westhoff pitched the entire game and had a strikeout. Stamp and McLeod each recorded three putouts while Nienhueser again had a pair of assists.

The Blue Tigers and the Lady Lions will play again on Saturday (April 9), this time in Jefferson City. The two teams will meet for a non-conference double header at Duensing Field beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT.