KEARNEY, Neb. - The second game of the Lincoln softball team's Friday (April 15) double-header against Nebraska Kearney was tight entering the fourth inning, but the Lopers managed to pull away late as LU fell by a final score of 6-1. UNK ended up winning the first game as well, 10-2, by once again taking advantage of late-inning runs.

In the second game, UNK scored a pair of runs in the first inning, but Lincoln (12-29, 0-20 MIAA) came back in the second to cut the deficit in half on a double by Alex Miller. Jordan Hollon led the frame off with a base hit, and scored from first base on Miller's hit. Miller ended up reaching third, but the Lopers prevented her from reaching the plate.

A run scored on a ground out allowed Nebraska Kearney (21-17, 11-5 MIAA) to regain a two-run lead, and the score would remain 3-1 entering the fourth. Katie Blair reached third in the top of the third inning after being issued a walk, and Hollon once again made it to third in the fourth inning following another hit by Miller. In both innings, however, the Lopers managed to get the final out to prevent LU from scoring.

Nebraska Kearney led the bottom of the fourth off with a triple, and later scored to go up, 4-1. The Lopers went on to plate two more scores in the sixth inning, and despite a leadoff double by Ashton Stalling in the top of the seventh, LU was kept off the board.

Jacqueline Marquez had a hit for Lincoln, and Jordan Galliher struck out eight Loper batters in a complete-game effort. Blair led LU with eight putouts, Chloe Olson provided four and Emma Rakes was responsible for three. Marquez had two assists.

The opener was also closely contested until the later innings of the ballgame. A two-run homer gave UNK an early lead, but Lincoln roared back in the third inning, as Olson scored on a fielder's choice. The Lopers added another run in the bottom of the third, but LU came back in the top of the sixth as Callahan scored on a double steal opportunity to cut the Loper lead down to 3-2.

The bottom of the sixth proved to be the Lopers' most successful inning of the day, though, as UNK scored seven runs on four hits to seal its victory. Aidan Dayberry struck out six batters in the circle, and Marquez had a hit while Leah Wagner finished with six putouts. Alivia Rymer provided four putouts, and Callahan turned three assists.

Lincoln heads to Hays, Kan. on Saturday (April 16) to play Fort Hays State in a double-header, beginning at 12:00 p.m. CDT.