JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team out-hit Maryville in its first game on Saturday (Feb. 25), but the Saints held off the Blue Tigers for a 7-4 victory. Maryville also took the second game of Saturday's double-header, 3-0.

In the opener, Maryville (6-4) took an early lead by scoring on an eventual double play in the top of the first. It didn't take Lincoln (0-10) long to respond, however, as Kiley Kerr led the bottom of the first off with a single. Mykenzie Livesay then got on board with a fielder's choice that resulted in both players being safe on the play. That brought up Tori Nienhueser, who hit the first homerun of the season by a Blue Tiger to give Lincoln an early 3-1 advantage.

After a scoreless second frame, Maryville tied the game at three with a bases-clearing double in the top of the third. Lincoln once again had a response, as Livesay hit a double into right field, advanced to third on a base hit from Nienhueser and scored on a single by Jordan Lawson in the bottom half of that inning.

The Blue Tigers had an opportunity to add to their lead in the fourth, as Chelsey Kerr and Delayne Patton produced singles and Kiley Kerr loaded the bases by reaching on an error. Maryville managed to force a strikeout to end the threat, and tied the game in the fifth with an RBI single. The Saints scored three more runs in that frame, including two on a homerun, to take a 7-4 lead.

Sarah Westhoff and Lawson each had a hit in the bottom of the fifth, and Chelsey Kerr was issued a walk to fill up the bases with just one out on the board. The Saints, however, turned a double-play to escape with their three-run lead intact. In the seventh, Livesay and Westhoff each had hits, bringing the potential tying run up to the plate with only one out. Once again, however, Maryville turned a double-play, sealing its win.

Lincoln finished with 12 hits in the opener while Maryville had 10, but LU also stranded six runners on base compared to four by the Saints. Livesay, Nienhueser, Lawson and Westhoff each had two hits apiece, with Livesay scoring twice and Nienhueser tallying three RBI. Madison Ragar also had a hit in the contest.

Macie Kinsey started the game in the circle and recorded a strikeout before yielding in the fifth inning to Westhoff, who fanned two. Westhoff also led the LU defense with five putouts while Lawson and Maci Marshall each registered four and Patton finished with three. Nienhueser had a team-high four assists.

Maryville shut down Lincoln's hot hitting in the second game, as LU only managed a single, produced by Livesay in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Saints scored one run in each of the first, third and fourth innings, and struck out eight Blue Tiger batters to hold on for the win.

Ragar pitched the complete game for the Blue Tigers and allowed two earned runs while recording a strikeout. Kinsey posted a team-high six putouts while Nienhueser and Kiley Kerr were next three apiece. Nienhueser again had four assists while Livesay turned three.

The Blue Tigers will travel to Claremore, Okla. on Monday (Feb. 27) to play a double-header at Rogers State. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CST.