OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The Lincoln softball team played its first two games of the 2021 Red Dirt Classic on Friday (March 5), playing Baker in the morning and Central Methodist in the early evening. Below are brief recaps of those contests.

Baker 10, Lincoln 1
Leslie Callahan hit a lead-off triple in the bottom of the third and then scored on a ground out by Jordan Lawson, but Baker ended up winning, 10-1, in the opener of the Red Dirt Classic for both teams.

Lawson had a hit in addition to her RBI, and Tressa Hughes, Maddie Welker and Shannon Greene each notched strikeouts in the circle. Kendra Holt was responsible for five putouts while Callahan and Jacqueline Marquez each had three apiece. Marquez also had three assists while Callahan and Jordan Hollon each recorded two.

Baker brought in two runs in the top of the first, and scored a third run in the second, but Callahan's triple in the third helped LU cut the deficit down to 3-1. That's how the score would remain until the fifth inning, when an RBI single plated another run for Baker. The Wildcats later added six runs in the top of the sixth.

Central Methodist 9, Lincoln 1
It was scoreless after one, but the Eagles scored three runs in each of the second, third and fourth frames to earn a 9-1 win over the Blue Tigers in Friday's second game.

Hollon was responsible for Lincoln's run, as she drove in Lawson with a double in the bottom of the third to put LU on the scoreboard. Lawson had reached on a base hit into left center, then took advantage of an error by CMU to reach second.

Marquez also had a double, and a base hit from Emily Williams helped Lincoln load the bases in the bottom of the first. Callahan also had a single for LU.

Hughes struck out two CMU batters, and Holt and Lawson led LU defensively with four putouts apiece. Callahan tallied three putouts and she, Hollon, Miller and Marquez each turned an assist.

Lincoln will close out play in the Red Dirt Classic on Saturday (March 6) with games against McPherson and Langston.