COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team took on the No. 10 team in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Division II poll, Central Oklahoma, on Saturday afternoon (April 9). UCO ended up proving worthy of its ranking, as the Bronchos swept both games of the double-header.

In the first contest, the Blue Tigers kept the national top-10 Bronchos off the scoreboard through the first three innings, limiting UCO to just two hits in that span. In the top of the fourth, however, Central Oklahoma (32-6, 11-1 MIAA) hit a grand slam, which sprung the Bronchos to an eventual 9-0 victory.

Alivia Rymer and Emma Rakes each had hits for Lincoln (11-24, 0-16 MIAA), and Ashton Stalling and Aidan Dayberry both struck out Broncho batters in the circle. Emily Williams led LU defensively with six putouts, and Chloe Olson was next with four. Leslie Callahan recorded three putouts to go with a team-high four assists.

In the second contest, Central Oklahoma eked out a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly, and the Blue Tigers turned a double play in the top of the second to keep it a one-run contest. In the third, however, the Bronchos took advantage of four hits and an LU error to begin to pull away, and UCO ended up winning the game, 13-0.

Lincoln's defense ended up turning two double plays in the late game, and Olson led LU with four putouts while Katie Blair, Jacqueline Marquez and Kori Bullard each had two apiece. Callahan and Rymer each provided two assists, and Alex Miller, Maddie Welker and Hannah Clark had a strikeout apiece in the circle. Marquez also had a hit for LU.

The Blue Tigers will be back at Battle High School in Columbia, Mo. on Sunday (April 10) to host Newman in a 12:00 p.m. CDT double-header.