HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Lincoln softball team scored seven combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings en route to a 9-7 win over Miles in its 2021 season-opener on Friday (Feb. 5).

The Blue Tigers led 2-1 after the first frame. The Golden Bears scored in the top of the inning after a triple and an RBI-single, but Lincoln took its first lead of the season on a homerun from Kendra Holt that also brought in Leslie Callahan. The two teams kept each other off the scoreboard through the next two innings, but Miles scored three runs on a pair of hits in the fourth to go ahead, 4-2.

Miles stranded a pair of LU base runners in the bottom of the fourth, and used a three-run homer in the fifth to increase its lead to 7-2. The Blue Tigers displayed resilience, however, battling back in the bottom of the fifth to re-take the lead. Jordan Hollon scored on a bases-loaded walk issued to Jacqueline Marquez, and another walk, issued to Callahan, resulted in Alivia Rymer scoring.

Emily Williams tied the game with a triple that drove in Callahan, Jacqueline Marquez and Qwynn Marquez, and a double from Holt brought in Williams to give Lincoln a lead it would never relinquish. After stranding a Golden Bear runner at third in the top of the sixth, Rymer brought in Jordan Lawson on a base hit to give LU a two-run cushion.

Holt and Williams each had three RBI, and Callahan scored twice while Holt, Rymer and Lawson had two hits apiece. Hollon and Jacqueline Marquez also had hits. Maddie Welker earned the win in a relief role and struck out two Golden Bear batters, and Alex Miller and Hannah Clark rang up three strikeouts apiece. Clark was credited with the save.

Defensively, Jacqueline Marquez led Lincoln with 10 putouts, while Holt had four and Hollon supplied three. Jacqueline Marquez and Rymer each turned two assists.