Complete Game Notes
Game #7: Lincoln (4-2) at Kentucky Wesleyan (3-3)
Date:  Friday, February 23 at 12:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: https://kwcpanthers.com/sidearmstats/softball/
 
Game #8: Lincoln vs. Cedarville (1-6)
Date:  Friday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: https://kwcpanthers.com/sidearmstats/softball3/
 
Game #9: Notre Dame (Ohio) (0-2) vs. Lincoln
Date:  Saturday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m. CT
Live Stats:  https://kwcpanthers.com/sidearmstats/softball5
 
Game #10: McKendree (2-3) vs. Lincoln
Date:  Saturday, February 24 at 12:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats:  https://kwcpanthers.com/sidearmstats/softball5
 
THE LEAD OFF:  The Lincoln softball team plays in the Blue Bridge Battle this weekend, hosted in Evansville, Ind. by Kentucky Wesleyan. The first opponent for LU will be the host team, with the Blue Tigers playing the Panthers at 12:00 p.m. CST on Friday (Feb. 23). Later that day, Lincoln will face Cedarville, with first pitch slated for 2:00 p.m. CST. On Saturday (Feb. 24), Lincoln takes on Notre Dame of Ohio at 10:00 a.m. CST and then plays McKendree at 12:00 p.m. CST. Only Kentucky Wesleyan, at 3-3, is at least .500 on the season, as the other three teams Lincoln will play currently have losing records. The Blue Tigers opened the 2024 season by falling in a pair of home games to William Jewell, but since have swept both Stephens and Westminster to improve to 4-2.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Maris Ollison is off to a huge offensive start, tallying eight hits, including a pair of home runs and two doubles, as well as nine RBI and five runs through the first six games. Leslie Callahan leads LU with a .474 average and nine hits while Abbi Conrad has six hits, seven runs and a homer. Also off to a strong offensive start is Torri Hinnah (.400 average) while Mallorey Rogers has a 1.50 ERA and seven strikeouts.
 
HEAD COACH JASON OLLISON:  A 2000 grad of Lincoln University and an All-MIAA baseball player with the Blue Tigers, Jason Ollison in now in his second year as the head coach of the Lincoln softball team. In his first season, Ollison guided the Blue Tigers as they transitioned from playing games an off-campus site to playing on a brand new surface at LU Softball Field. Ollison is his second stint working at LU, as he served as the baseball team's hitting coach in 2001-02.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  A brief review of Lincoln's recent games:
 
Game 1: WJC 8, LU 4:  William Jewell broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth by plating three runs and held on for an 8-4 win over the Blue Tigers in LU's season opener on Feb. 13. Leslie Callahan had three hits and an RBI to lead Lincoln.
 
Game 2: WJC 4, LU 1:  Mallorey Rogers struck out six Cardinal batters and allowed only two runs through the first five innings, but William Jewell won, 4-1, to sweep the double-header on Feb. 13. Gabby Newman drove in Lindsey Brandt in the bottom of the seventh for Lincoln's run..
 
Game 3: LU 5, SC 1:  Kasey Kilburn struck out six in five no-hit innings and Leslie Callahan and Gabby Newman each hit doubles as Lincoln beat Stephens College, 5-1, for its first win of 2024 on Feb. 15 at LU Softball Field. Torri Hinnah and Jamilyn Bagby each finished with two RBI with Hinnah also recording two hits, and Lincoln stole five bases while allowing only one hit to the Stars.
 
Game 4: LU 6, SC 5:  The Blue Tigers trailed by two entering the bottom of the seventh, but began the frame with back-to-back base hits and were able to capitalize on a couple miscues by Stephens to score three runs and sweep the Stars on Feb. 15. Leslie Callahan stole home to score the winning run while Maris Ollison and Lindsey Brandt each had a pair of hits. Maddie Sechrest closed the game in the circle to earn the victory, Joss Marriott had a strikeout as the opener and middle reliever Jaedin Blankenship fanned two Stephens batters.
 
Game 5: LU 13, WC 3:  Lincoln scored 13 runs on 11 hits to beat Westminster in five innings in its first road game of 2024 on Tuesday (Feb. 20). Maris Ollison hit two home runs, notched seven RBI and went 4-for-4 at the plate while both Abbi Conrad and Leslie Callahan had two hits. Paige Rademann got the win in the circle and she and Abby Pulliam each struck out two Blue Jays.
 
Game 6: LU 10, WC 2:  After taking a 3-2 lead after the first inning, Lincoln kept the Blue Jays off the scoreboard to sweep Westminster with a 10-2 victory on Tuesday (Feb. 20). Abbi Conrad hit her first home run of the season and finished with three RBI while Leslie Callahan scored three runs.
 
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS:  Cam Mann and Chloe Apple each have seven hits and Augusta Garr is next with five as Kentucky Wesleyan is batting .257 on the season. Madison Beckhart is 2-1 in the circle and owns a 2.93 ERA.
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS:  Kaley Clark leads Cedarville with eight hits and a .444 batting average while Faith Bergner and Casey Bertke each have six hits. Clark and Bertke lead the Yellow Jackets with eight RBI apiece. In the circle, Adaline Johnson has Cedarville's only win and a team-low 6.87 ERA.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS:  Notre Dame (OH) is hitting .222 as a team while allowing teams to hit .421, and the Falcons have a team ERA of 12.2. Danielle Fick and Lindsay Breuer, with three hits each, are the offensive leaders.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS:  Ellie Quaethem has pitched 17.2 innings, struck out 20 batters and won two games in the circle while Lauren Harris leads McKendree with seven hits. Mollie Vetter is next with five hits.
 
ON DECK:  Lincoln will be in Bolivar, Mo. to play Southwest Baptist on Wednesday (Feb. 28) in a 3:00 p.m. CST double-header.