JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team's bats heated up against Lindenwood, as the Blue Tigers totaled 20 hits, including five by Camryn Pryor, in a home double-header on Saturday (April 12). Lincoln fell in both games, however, as the Lady Lions took the opener, 10-5, and the night cap, 11-3.

Pryor's first hit of the afternoon was a solo home run in the first inning of the opener, giving Lincoln an early 1-0 lead. Lindenwood tied the game in the second inning before using a solo home run of its own in the third to take its first lead of the contest.

LU Softball Field witnessed some windy conditions on Friday, and the Lady Lions ended up hitting three more home runs before Lincoln got back on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Pryor, who had hit a double back in the third inning, got on base for the third-straight time with a single down the left field line to open the inning. Two at-bats later, Mykenzie Livesay drove Pryor in with a double into right field.

Lindenwood pushed its lead to 10-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, but the Blue Tigers mounted a comeback in the bottom half of the frame. Back-to-back hits from Bekah Kirker and Jordan Lawson opened the offense for Lincoln, and Rachael Balke hit a double to bring home both players. Balke scored herself on Livesay's third double of the afternoon, cutting the deficit down to five, and Emily Williams used a base hit to give Lincoln a pair of runners in the next at-bat. Lindenwood was able to force a pop-out, however, to end the game and the rally.

Lincoln's pitchers combined for four strikeouts, including three by Lawson and one by Shannon Greene. Livesay matched Pryor with three hits in the contest, and Williams had two while Nienhueser had one. Pryor led the Lincoln defense with seven putouts, and Nienhueser turned four assists.

In the second game of the day, Lindenwood (22-14, 11-11 MIAA) used three hits to produce a run in the top of the first, but Lincoln (4-38, 1-21 MIAA) had an answer in the bottom half of the frame when Livesay drove in Pryor on a single through the right side. The Lady Lions broke the tie with three runs in the second, and kept the Blue Tigers off the board until the bottom of the fifth.

Back-to-back doubles by Williams and Nienhueser led to Lincoln's second run of the second game, and Nienhueser later scored on a fielder's choice for the final Blue Tiger run of the afternoon. Pryor and Balke led Lincoln offensively with two hits apiece, while Trista Heavin had an RBI and Gabi McGinty had a hit.

Heavin also notched a strikeout in the circle as a reliever, and Pryor was responsible for eight putouts while Balke was next with three. Kirker contributed four assists, and Lawson finished with three.

The Blue Tigers will face Lindenwood again on Saturday (April 13), as the Blue Tigers head to St. Charles, Mo. for a pair of non-conference games against the Lady Lions. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CDT.