EMPORIA, Kan. - The Lincoln softball team dropped two games to Emporia State on the road on Saturday (March 25), falling 8-0 in the opener and 9-1 in the night cap.

The Lady Hornets scored in each of the game's final four frames in the opener, bringing in their first three runs on a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the second. The Blue Tigers had at least one base runner in each of the first four innings, with Emma Rakes hitting a single and stealing second in the top of the third.

Maris Ollison led the LU defense with five putouts and Jacqueline Marquez, who tallied three assists, was next with four putouts. Leah Wagner and Myah Dwyer each tallied a putout and an assist, and Ollison and Leslie Callahan also had assists for the Blue Tigers.

In the second game, Lincoln (4-18, 1-7 MIAA) limited Emporia State (18-12, 2-4 MIAA) to just one run in the bottom of the first, but ESU exploded for eight runs in the second to take control of the contest. Rakes, Ollison and Wagner all had hits in the top of the second, but the Blue Tigers wouldn't get a run across the plate until the top of the fourth, when Rakes scored on a base hit by Kennedy Schanuth. Rakes arrived on base via a walk, moved to second on Ollison's second hit of the contest, and later took third on a fielder's choice.

Maddie Welker had a strikeout as the game's closer, and Ollison totaled four putouts while Dwyer and Emily Williams each had three putouts and one assist. 

Lincoln will step out of conference play on Tuesday (March 28) to travel to Kirksville, Mo. for a twinbill against Truman State. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CDT.