ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Lincoln softball team played the third and fourth games of its season on Saturday (Feb. 4) as the Blue Tigers closed out their play in the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational with games against Ouachita Baptist and Rogers State. Below are recaps of those contests:

Ouachita Baptist 8, Lincoln 0
Ouachita Baptist tallied 12 hits and held the Blue Tigers to one as Lincoln fell in the first game of its double-header on Saturday. OBU got the scoring started early with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first before an RBI single put Lincoln into an early 4-0 hole. Ouachita Bapist later plated another run on a base hit in the third inning before scoring three more times in the fourth to end the contest in five frames.

Despite being held to just one hit, Lincoln had a base-runner in four the game's five innings. Tori Nienhueser reached twice, as she was issued a walk in the first inning and got on board via an error in the fourth. The Blue Tigers had two base-runners in that latter frame, as Macie Kinsey later reached on a fielder's choice that did not result in an out. Jordan Lawson reached base on a walk in the second inning, and Chelsey Kerr got on board in the fifth on a dropped fly ball. Paige Parker had LU's hit later in the frame to help Chelsey Kerr reach third, but Ouachita Baptist managed to preserve the shutout.

Madison Ragar pitched the complete game and struck out two batters. Macie Kinsey led LU's defense with five putouts, with Parker and Lauren Morrow each contributing two. Mykenzie Livesay turned a team-best three assists.

Rogers State 9, Lincoln 1
Rogers State out-hit Lincoln 8-4 en route to a five-inning victory over the Blue Tigers in Saturday's second game. The Hillcats used a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to begin its offensive attack and led 3-0 after the first inning. Rogers State then scored six runs on five hits in the third to end the contest a couple frames early.

Hope McLeod opened the top of the fourth by being hit by a pitch, and then scored from first on a double by Nienhueser. A single from Kinsey advanced Nienhueser to third, but a play at the plate kept the Blue Tigers to just one run in the frame. In the fifth inning, Chelsey Kerr led off with a single, and then took second and third on a pair of ground outs. A third ground out, however, stranded her on base.

Maci Marshall also had a base hit on the afternoon, as she led the third inning off with an infield single. The Hillcats managed to turn a double play, however, to keep Marshall from getting past first base. In the first inning, McLeod was issued a walk, and later advanced to third on a throwing error. A strikeout followed by a failed steal attempt, however, kept McLeod from reaching home plate.

Kinsey again led the defense with six putouts while Kiley Kerr and Livesay each recorded two. Livesay also turned three assists while Nienhueser tallied two.

Lincoln will now have two weeks off before continuing its 2017 season with a pair of game in St. Louis, Mo. on Saturday, Feb. 18. The Blue Tigers will play a true road game at Maryville, with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. CST. LU will then play Missouri S&T on Maryville's campus at 3:00 p.m. CST.