JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team picked up its first wins of the 2024 season with a double-header sweep over Stephens on Thursday afternoon (Feb. 15). Lincoln took advantage of a tremendous pitching performance by Kasey Kilburn to win the first game, 5-1, and then mounted a seventh inning rally in game two to win, 6-5.

Kilburn struck out six batters and did not allow a run in the opener as she pitched five no-hit innings to lead LU to its first win of the season. Abby Pulliam pitched the final two frames and gave up one hit and one run while also notching a strikeout. Vanessa Cardenas led an excellent defensive performance for LU with eight putouts while Jamilyn Bagby was next with seven, and Gabby Newman totaled three assists while Kilburn and Abbi Conrad each had two.

The scoring started early for Lincoln (2-2), as Leslie Callahan led the opener off with a double before scoring on an error. A double steal later sent Conrad to third base, and she and Maris Ollison each came home on a base hit by Torri Hinnah. The Blue Tigers added onto their lead in the third, as Hinnah and Newman scored on a single into right field by Bagby.

Hinnah had two hits while Conrad and Newman each had one. Newman had a double in the third inning to set up Lincoln's final two runs.

In the second game on Thursday, Stephens (0-5) got on the board first, taking advantage of three hits and two errors to plate three runs in the top of the third. Lincoln tied the game in the fourth with a two-out comeback, as Hinnah scored on a bases-loaded walk before Lindsey Brandt drove in Newman and Vanessa Cardenas with a base hit into left field.

Stephens broke the tie in the fifth, as two LU errors allowed the Stars to take a 5-3 advantage, one that it would hold until the very last frame of the contest. Emily Thompson opened the bottom of the seventh with a single, Brandt had a base hit and a throwing error allowed Callahan to safely reach, loading the bases for LU. A wild pitch brought Thompson home, then Ollison tied the game with an RBI ground out to plate Brandt. Callahan later stole home to give Lincoln the 6-5 victory.

Ollison and Brandt each finished with two hits while Thompson and Newman had one apiece. Hinnah led LU defensively with seven putouts while Thompson and Newman each provided four. Ollison turned three assists and Thompson and Jaedin Blankenship each tallied two. Joss Marriott started the game in the circle and struck out one batter before yielding to Blankenship, who fanned two. Maddie Sechrest ended up earning the win after striking out one batter in a perfect seventh inning.

The Blue Tigers will play on the road for the first time in 2024 on Tuesday (Feb. 20) as Lincoln heads to Fulton, Mo. to play Westminster in a 2:00 p.m. CST double-header.