JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team racked up 13 hits and the rotation tallied five strikeouts as the Blue Tigers won their 2021 MIAA opener, 6-5, over Nebraska Kearney on Tuesday (March 9). The Blue Tigers ended up with a split on Tuesday, as Nebraska Kearney won game two of the double-header, 10-1.

After a solo homerun in the top of the first, Alivia Rymer got LU on the board with a double down the left field line that plated both Jordan Lawson and Emily Williams. Lincoln (3-8-1, 1-1 MIAA) would go on to load the bases in the second inning, but the score remained 2-1 through two innings.

Nebraska Kearney (9-7, 1-1 MIAA) got back on the board in the third with an RBI triple, and later scored two more runs on three hits to re-take the lead, 4-2, entering the bottom of the fifth. Lincoln produced a big inning of its own in that frame, taking advantage of two UNK errors to bring in Leah Wagner and cut the deficit down to one. Following a third Loper error, Jordan Hollon scored to tie the game at four, but LU wasn't yet finished. Ashton Stalling drove in Kendra Holt with a sacrifice fly, and a bunt by Leslie Callahan scored Alex Miller for a 6-4 Lincoln lead.

The Lopers were able to get back within one with an RBI single in the sixth, but the Blue Tigers held onto the lead after Lincoln turned a double play to end the inning. In the top of the seventh, the Lopers managed to advance a runner to third base, but Shannon Greene rang up a key strikeout, and Stalling made a diving catch to nab a foul ball near the right field line to end the game.

Rymer went 3-for-4 at the plate, and Callahan, Lawson and Holt each had two hits while Jacqueline Marquez and Williams had one apiece. Stalling started in the circle and fanned two UNK batters, and Maddie Welker also had two strikeouts en route to earning the win. Defensively, Holt led LU with eight putouts and Marquez was responsible for five while Rymer turned three assists.

In Tuesday's second game, Nebraska Kearney again opened the contest with a run in the first inning, but the Blue Tigers evened the score in the bottom half of the frame. After Callahan and Marquez opened the inning with base hits, Lawson drove a pitch down the middle to tie the game at one.

The rest of the game belonged to UNK, however, as the Lopers scored three more runs in the second and four in the third to take control of the ballgame. Holt hit a double and Williams and Rymer also had hits for LU. Welker closed the game and struck out three Lopers, while starter Tressa Hughes and reliever Miller tallied one strikeout apiece. Callahan, Marquez and Wagner were each responsible for three putouts, while Hollon, Stalling and Holt each recorded two.

Lincoln will be off for the next six days before traveling to St. Joseph, Mo. to continue MIAA play with a double-header against Missouri Western. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CDT.