JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team opens MIAA play this week with road games on Thursday and Friday.

The Blue Tigers were originally scheduled to play on Friday and Saturday, but inclement weather has forced Lincoln to change both dates and venues. Lincoln will now play Washburn at Kansas City Kansas Community College on Thursday (March 7) in a 1:00 p.m. CST double-header. On Friday (March 8), the Blue Tigers will travel to Andover, Kan. to take on Emporia State in a 12:00 p.m. CST twinbill at Andover Central High School.

Lincoln is fresh off its first victory of the season, an 8-4 win over Jarvis Christian in the National HBCU Softball Classic on March 1. Weather has wreaked havoc on the Blue Tigers' schedule since then, however, as LU has had 12 games either canceled or shifted due to snow and icy conditions.

LU is led offensively by Camryn Pryor, who, through the first 12 games of the season, is leading the MIAA with a .528 batting average. Pryor has 19 hits and six RBI on the season and has scored eight runs while posting a .538 on-base percentage. Pryor is also strong defensively, owning a 1.000 fielding percentage while assisting in a double play.

Jordan Lawson, who broke the program's single-season doubles record a year ago, is also having a fine season at the plate with 15 hits and a .385 average. Lawson has scored six runs and hit three doubles to go with three RBI.

Rachael Balke, with 10 hits, four doubles and five RBI, and Mykenzie Livesay, who has seven hits and five RBI, are also leading the Blue Tigers offensively. Gabi McGinty, meanwhile, has six hits on the season while Bekah Kirker has scored five runs.

In the circle, Hannah Hennessy picked up the win over Jarvis Christian and leads LU with 18 strikeouts. Shannon Greene has fanned 16 batters, and Lawson has also started games for the Blue Tigers.

Lincoln's first opponent this week, Washburn, has also struggled with the weather, as the Ichabods have already had 16 games canceled through the first month of the season. The Ichabods are 7-11 on the year and batting .321 with a team ERA of 4.79. Emporia State, meanwhile, enters the week with a 4-11 record and is batting .282 with a 4.97 ERA.