Games #3-4: Lane (0-2) at Lincoln (2-0)
Date: Friday, Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. CT
Site: LU Softball Field in Jefferson City, Mo.
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/mst/softball/

THE LEAD OFF:  Fresh off a sweep over Stephens, the Lincoln softball team continues its 2020 season on Friday (Feb. 21) as the Blue Tigers host Lane for a 1:00 p.m. CST double-header. Lincoln opened its season with a pair of five-inning victories over the Stars, as LU shut out SC, 11-0, in the 2020 opener, and won the nightcap, 9-1. Lincoln takes on a Dragon squad that opened the season with opposite results, as Lane lost to Union (Tenn.) in a pair of five-inning games by scores of 13-0 and 24-0. After rain forced a postponement of Lincoln's road games against Stephens, these will be the third and fourth contests of LU's 2020 campaign.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Eight Blue Tigers hit .333 or better in the season-opening double-header, led by Kendra Holt, who tallied four hits, including a pair of two-RBI doubles. Jordan Hollon hit .600 with a double and a homerun, and Jordan Lawson matched Holt with four hits, leading to four runs. Alex Miller, who scored three runs on three hits, pitched the complete game in LU's 9-1 victory and struck out four batters while giving up just three hits. Mykenzie Livesay and Emily Williams each had three hits during the season-opening twinbill while Bekah Kirker had two hits and two RBI.

HEAD COACH CHRISTINE CORE:  Now in her second year as the coach of the Blue Tigers, Core helped Lincoln improve in nearly every offensive category in 2019 while leading LU to its highest win total since 2014. Two LU players earned All-MIAA honors under her direction. She took over the Lincoln program after a successful two-year run at Covenant, where she won 45 games.

LAST TIME OUT:  Lincoln opened its 2020 season at home with a double-header vs. Stephens on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 16). Below are brief recaps of those contests:
Game 1: LU 11, SC 0:  Tressa Hughes, Shannon Greene and Hannah Clark combined to pitch a shutout in the first game of the season as Lincoln out-hit Stephens, 15-1, en route to the victory. Five different Blue Tigers had multiple hits, with Jordan Hollon and Kendra Holt each tallying two RBI, and Jordan Lawson and Alex Miller each scoring a pair of runs. Lincoln hit six doubles on the day, including one by Payton Good.

Game 2: LU 9, SC 1:  Alex Miller struck out four in the circle and helped her own cause with an RBI triple as Lincoln swept its twinbill vs. Stephens. Bekah Kirker and Jordan Hollon each hit homers, Kendra Holt, who had three total RBI in the win, hit a two-RBI double and scored two runs, and Jordan Lawson scored twice.

SCOUTING THE DRAGONS:  Lane was held to four hits in its season-opening twinbill, with those being tallied by four different players: Samaiya Montgomery, Raven Shoulders, Sydney Tusie and Kristen Young. Raelynn Lee and Kayla Saul each have strikeouts in the circle.

IN THE OUTFIELD OR IN THE CIRCLE:  Jordan Lawson spent most of the 2019 season locking down centerfield, but she also made an impact for the Blue Tigers when she was brought in to pitch. Lawson, who pitched LU to a victory over Central Missouri, struck out 12 opposing batters and had three complete games last year.

ALL-MIAA ALL THE TIME:  With another strong season in 2020, Jordan Lawson could make LU history. Lawson, who was selected as an All-MIAA honorable mention following each of her first three seasons with the Blue Tigers, is poised to become the first Lincoln player in history to garner all-conference accolades four years in a row. As it stands, LU has had only one other player, Sam Kircher (2012-15), earn three All-MIAA accolades.

TAKE TWO (OR MORE):  Lincoln enjoyed one of its best hitting seasons in recent memory in 2019, as Lincoln collected 96 multiple base hits, with an average of 1.4 doubles per game that ranked sixth in the MIAA. The Blue Tigers picked up where they left off in the first games of 2020, as LU's batters combined to hit nine doubles, two home runs and a triple in its season-opening double header.

LEADING THE NATION:  Lincoln averaged 4.5 doubles in its first two game and, as a result, is leading NCAA Division II in that stat. LU's 10.0 runs per game average also leads Division II, as does its .491 batting average and 0.5 WHIP. The Blue Tigers' .800 slugging percentage is second in the nation.

2-0 IN 2020:  With a pair of wins at home against Stephens on Sunday (Feb. 16), Lincoln opened its 2020 campaign with a 2-0 record. This is the first 2-0 start for the Blue Tigers since 2014, when LU opened the year with a pair of one-run wins vs. Arkansas-Monticello and Ouachita Baptist. This is just the third 2-0 start for Lincoln since the 2009 season.

ON DECK:  Four games in the Drury Invitational are up next for Lincoln, beginning on Feb. 28 with a 2:00 p.m. CST contest against Drury. The Blue Tigers will play William Jewell afterwards at 4:00 p.m. CST, before taking on Newman on Feb. 29 at 12:00 p.m. CST and Southwest Baptist at 2:00 p.m. CST.