COLUMBIA, Mo. - The first game between the Lincoln softball team and Missouri Western was a pitchers' duel, with the Griffons edging the Blue Tigers, 3-1, on Saturday (April 30). The Griffons also ended up taking the second game, 11-0, in LU's penultimate twinbill of 2022.

Aidan Dayberry pitched nearly the entire game in the opener, finishing with six strikeouts before Hannah Clark came in to close the contest. Alex Miller had the RBI, bringing home Jordan Hollon in the bottom of the first inning to cut the MWSU lead down to one. Chloe Olson and Ashton Stalling also had hits for the Blue Tigers.

Missouri Western (25-20, 15-9 MIAA) struck first in the opener, plating its first run on a ground rule double before scoring again on a single. Lincoln (12-33, 0-24 MIAA) cut the deficit in half on Miller's base hit through the middle, and it remained a one-run game heading into the fifth inning. The Griffons tacked on an insurance run in that frame with a sacrifice fly.

Olson had seven putouts to lead the LU defense, and Leah Wagner recorded six while Hollon had three putouts and three assists. Leslie Callahan and Alivia Rymer each tallied two assists.

The Griffons also opened the second game with two runs in the top of the first, scoring both on a two-out double. Neither team was able to crack the scoreboard again until the fourth inning, as MWSU added three more scores before pulling away in the fifth. Hollon and Rymer each had a hit for LU in the night cap.

Jordan Galliher started the game in the circle for LU and struck out four MWSU batters. Stalling also notched a strikeout as Lincoln's closer. Olson and Wagner tied for the team-lead with four putouts  apiece, and Wagner, Miller, Hollon and Jacqueline Marquez each had assists.

The Blue Tigers close their 2022 campaign on Sunday (May 1) by hosting Northwest Missouri in a pair of games beginning at 12:00 p.m. CDT.