JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Blue Tigers tallied 11 hits, but dropped a double-header to Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon (March 16). Lincoln fell in the opener, 7-0, and lost the second game, 14-4.

Northeastern State (14-11, 5-1 MIAA) struck first in Saturday's second game, bringing in three runs on four hits in the top of the opening frame, but doubles by Jordan Lawson and Rachael Balke allowed Lincoln (4-16, 1-5 MIAA) to make it a 3-1 affair after one.

After NSU drove in two more scores in the second, Tori Nienhueser, who led the bottom half of the frame off with a double, reached home on a RiverHawk fielding error to pull LU to within 5-2. Lincoln loaded the bases in the third inning, but a single from Gabi McGinty following a two-base hit by Balke brought in the only run of the frame.

The score would remain 5-3 until the top of the fifth, when Northeastern State used consecutive doubles to re-take a three-run advantage. NSU went on to plate three more scores in the sixth and five in the seventh to secure the win. Lincoln, meanwhile, had the bases loaded again in the sixth, but a fielding error resulted in Nienhueser scoring the only run of the frame for the Blue Tigers.

Shannon Greene had a pair of strikeouts in the circle, and Nienhueser, Balke and Mykenzie Livesay each had two hits at the plate. Camryn Pryor also had a double for LU, with Bekah Kirker additionally registering a hit. Defensively, Pryor led the Blue Tigers with six putouts, and Nienhueser and Livesay each turned two assists.

In the opener, Northeastern State scored seven runs on 12 hits, though it was just a one-run game until NSU brought in five scores in the fourth. Lincoln, meanwhile, had at least one baserunner in five of the seven frames, including in the bottom of the fourth, when Emily Williams hit a double.

Hannah Hennessy started the game and fanned two NSU batters, and Pryor had eight putouts for LU while Lawson and Balke each had four. Nienhueser led the Blue Tigers with four assists.

Lincoln remains at home on Sunday (March 17) for a double-header with Central Oklahoma, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CDT.