JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Abbi Conrad's base hit through the middle plated Lindsey Brandt in the bottom of the seventh to give the Lincoln softball team a 3-2 win over Christian Brothers on Tuesday (March 5). The win came in the first game of a double-header, and the Buccaneers ended up winning the second contest, 4-2.

Christian Brothers (11-11) struck first, hitting a solo home run in the top of the second, and that 1-0 lead held until the sixth inning. In the bottom half of that frame, Leslie Callahan was issued a walk and Conrad hit a double. Maris Ollison drove in both players on a single to give Lincoln (7-7) the lead, 2-1. CBU opened the seventh inning with another home run, however, sending the game into the bottom half of the final inning tied.

After a fly out, Brandt got on board thanks to a base hit into center field. The next LU batter popped out, bringing up Callahan, who reached base thanks to an error that also sent Brandt to second base. Conrad then drove a pitch straight down the middle to score Brandt, giving the Blue Tigers a walk-off victory.

Gabby Newman also had a hit and Kasey Kilburn earned the win in the circle while tossing a strikeout in the final inning. Mallorey Rogers started the game and fanned two Buccaneers. Torri Hinnah led the LU defense with 10 putouts while Brandt and Jamilyn Bagby each had three. Newman provided five assists and Ollison finished with four.

Christian Brothers also struck first in game two, hitting a solo home run for a 1-0 lead, and added onto that when a Buccaneer scored on a double steal attempt in the top of the fourth. The Blue Tigers cut the deficit back down to one in bottom half of the frame when Mackenzie Graham scored on a wild pitch. Graham originally reached with a double and took third on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Emily Thompson.

It didn't take long for CBU to respond, however, as the Buccaneers went up 3-1 on a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth. After stranding a Blue Tiger on third, Christian Brothers scored on an LU error in the sixth inning to go ahead, 4-1. Lincoln scored for the final time in the bottom of the seventh, as Taylor Heimbaugh hit a double and scored on a fielding error.

Allison Schwartze had two hits while Paige Rademann struck out a batter during the second game. Vanessa Cardenas had a team-high six putouts while Newman, Heimbaugh, Graham, Thompson, Brandt, Schwartze and Torri Hinnah each finished with two. Conrad turned four assists and Schwartze was credited with three.

Lincoln will open its MIAA slate on Saturday (March 9) in Joplin, Mo. as the Blue Tigers play Missouri Southern in a 2:00 p.m. CST twinbill.