Complete Game Notes
Games #17-18: Lincoln (3-12-1, 1-5 MIAA) at William Jewell (5-13)
Date:  Wednesday, March 24 at 3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. CT
Site: Cardinal Field in Liberty, Mo.
Live Stats:  https://jewellcardinals.com/sidearmstats/softball/

Game #19-20: Lincoln at No. 23 Central Oklahoma (14-6, 5-1 MIAA)
Date:  Friday, March 26 at 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. CT
Site: Broncho Softball Field in Edmond, Okla.
Live Stats:  https://bronchosports.com/sidearmstats/softball

Games #21-22: Lincoln at Newman (3-16, 1-7 MIAA)
Date:  Saturday, March 27 at 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. CT
Site: NU Softball Field in Wichita, Kan.
Live Stats:  https://newmanjets.com/sidearmstats/softball

* - Opponent Records as of 3/23/21

THE LEAD OFF:  The Lincoln softball team will spend the week on the road, with six games in four days. The first two contests are on Wednesday (March 24), as LU steps away from MIAA play to take on William Jewell in a 3:00 p.m. CDT double-header in Liberty, Mo. Lincoln next travels to Edmond, Okla. to play Central Oklahoma, ranked No. 23 in the country by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. That twinbill is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. CDT start on Friday (March 26). The Blue Tigers will close the week on Saturday (March 27), as Lincoln heads to Wichita, Kan. to play Newman in a 1:00 p.m. CDT double-header.

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Six LU starters are batting better than .250, led by Jacqueline Marquez with a .415 average and 17 hits. Emily Williams is next with a .333 average and 15 hits while Jordan Lawson has 14 hits and a .304 average. Jordan Hollon has a team-high 10 RBI to go with a .273 batting average, and Lawson leads the team with nine runs while Leslie Callahan (.277 average) has scored seven runs. Kendra Holt is also batting .273. In the circle, Tressa Hughes has struck out 19 batters and has a win, and Maddie Welker has two victories while Hannah Clark and Shannon Greene each have saves.

HEAD COACH CHRISTINE CORE:  Now in her third year as the coach of the Blue Tigers, Core helped Lincoln improve in nearly every offensive category in 2019, and in 2020 led LU to its highest win total since 2013. 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 played four MIAA games last week. Below are brief recaps of those contests:

Game 13: Missouri Western 8, LU 0:  The Griffons took advantage of eight hits to hand Lincoln a loss in its first MIAA road game of 2021 on Tuesday (March 16). Tressa Hughes and Maddie Welker each registered strikeouts in the circle, and both Kendra Holt and Jacqueline Marquez had three putouts, with Marquez also tallying a hit.

Game 14: MWSU 7, LU 3:  Missouri Western took an early lead, but the Blue Tigers rallied back with a run in the fifth and two more in the seventh before falling to the Griffons on Tuesday. Two of the runs were driven in by Emily Williams, who went 3-for-4 at the plate as Lincoln finished with 11 total hits in the contest. Sara Williams joined Leslie Callahan with two hits apiece.

Game 15: FHSU 4, LU 0:  It was a pitcher's duel through six frames, but Fort Hays State brought in three scores in the seventh to defeat Lincoln on Sunday (March 21) in Jefferson City. Through six innings, Maddie Welker had allowed just one run and only five hits. Offensively, Kendra Holt and Jacqueline Marquez each had hits.

Game 16: FHSU 10, LU 4:  It was a one-run game entering the seventh inning, but Fort Hays State scored five runs in the final frame to get the win on Sunday. Jordan Lawson and Alex Miller each had two hits and Jordan Hollon had two RBI as the Blue Tigers matched FHSU with eight hits in the game. Tressa Hughes struck out three as the countest's starter, and Kendra Holt led the LU defense with six putouts.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS:  Allison Rawls, who is batting .396, and Sabrina Olmo, who has a .333 batting average, lead William Jewell with 21 hits apiece. Tori Farr is next with 16 while Aly Manhart has 10 as WJC is batting .231 as a team. The Cardinals own a team ERA of 5.18 and have just one pitcher, Manhart, who has multiple wins in the circle (two).

SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS:  UCO is batting .288, led by Allie Eicher (19 hits, 11 runs) with a .373 average. Hazel Puempel leads the squad with 23 hits, 17 RBI and 17 runs, Tarin Dubler and Brighton Gilbert each have 21 hits, and Lexy Dobson has tallied 14 hits and 15 RBI. Corrina Rivas and Kylee Lynch each have seven wins in the circle as Central Oklahoma has a team ERA of 3.15.

SCOUTING THE JETS:  Anna Veltien leads NU with a 6.91 ERA and two wins on the season, while Madison Dewitt has the Jets' other win and has struck out a team-high 17 opposing batters. On the offensive side of the ball, four Newman players are batting better than .300, led by Taylor Ullery with 23 hits and a .383 average. Emma Eck is hitting .379 with 22 hits, and Anissa Ramos (23 hits) is batting .371 while Paige Wallace (20 hits) is batting 328.

ALL-MIAA ALL THE TIME:  With another strong season in 2021, 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 LU 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.

ON DECK:  Next Tuesday (March 30), the Blue Tigers are back at LU Softball Field to host Lindenwood in a 1:00 p.m. CDT twinbill.