OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Three members of the Lincoln softball team hit homeruns as the Blue Tigers rolled to a 12-1 win over Langston at the National HBCU Classic on Saturday (March 4).

The Blue Tiger bats came alive for 13 hits, starting with a two-run shot by Tori Nienhueser that also scored Macie Kinsey in the top of the second. Langston scored its only run of the game in the bottom half of that frame on a base hit into left field, but Mykenzie Livesay and Jordan Lawson scored in the top of the third to give Lincoln a 4-1 advantage.

A double from Kiley Kerr scored Maci Marshall in the top of the fourth, and Livesay and Lauren Morrow had an RBI each to increase the Blue Tiger lead to 7-1. In the top of the fifth, Nienhueser scored on a ground out by Madison Ragar, and Livesay hit a two-run homer that also plated Kerr to provide Lincoln with an 11-1 lead. Morrow hit a solo homerun later in the frame to close the scoring for LU.

Ragar pitched the complete game and struck out five opposing batters while allowing no walks. Ragar, Marshall, Nienhueser, Morrow, Livesay and Kerr each had two hits apiece, with Marshall additionally tallying a double. Marshall also led LU's defense with six putouts.

In the earlier game of the tournament for Lincoln, Talladega handed the Blue Tigers a 6-3 loss. Lincoln held a 7-6 advantage in hits, but the Tornadoes took advantage of two Blue Tiger errors and built a 5-0 lead before Lincoln got on the board.

Two of LU's three runs came in the top of the fourth, which began with a base hit from Livesay. Lawson hit a double before Livesay scored Lincoln's first run of the day on a Talladega error. LU's other score of the inning came when Paige Parker was issued a walk with the bases loaded, bringing home Ragar in the process.

Talladega scored on an error later in the bottom of the sixth, and Lincoln's final run of the contest came in the seventh. Kerr got on board after being hit by a pitch, took second on a single from Livesay and then stole third base. A Lawson single scored Kiley Kerr. Kinsey was later issued a walk to load the bases, but a strikeout prevented Lincoln from completing the comeback bid.

Lawson had three hits in the contest while Livesay tallied two and Nienhueser and Kinsey had one apiece. Ragar struck out three batters in a relief role while starter Sarah Westhoff notched one strikeout. Kinsey led the Blue Tiger defense with eight putouts while Parker was next with four.

Lincoln will open MIAA play on the road this week, as LU plays double-headers in Maryville, Mo. against Northwest Missouri on Thursday (March 9) at 1:00 p.m. CST and in St. Joseph, Mo. vs. Missouri Western on Friday (March 10) at 3:30 p.m. CST.