Complete Game Notes
Games #41-42: Truman State (17-23) at Lincoln (12-28)
Date:  Wednesday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats:  https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/softball
Live Video: https://themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers
Site: LU Softball Field (Jefferson City, Mo.)

Games #43-44: Lincoln at Missouri S&T (20-24)
Date:  Friday, April 19 at 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. CT
Live Stats: https://minerathletics.com/sidearmstats/softball
Live Video: https://glvcsn.com/mst/
Site: Missouri S&T Softball Field (Rolla, Mo.)

THE LEAD OFF:  The Lincoln softball team steps away from conference play this to compete in a pair of double headers against GLVC opponents. On Wednesday (April 17), the Blue Tigers will be at LU Softball Field to host Truman State for a 2:00 p.m. CDT double-header. Then, on Friday (April 19), the Blue Tigers head to Rolla, Mo. to play two games against Missouri S&T. With LU joining the GLVC next fall, these games offer a preview of the Blue Tigers' future conference slate. Lincoln enters the week with 12 victories, and with a win in any of the four games this week, will secure their best season since 2013. 

PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Abbi Conrad leads the Blue Tigers with a .336 batting average, 39 hits, 24 runs and nine doubles. Leslie Callahan, a .265 batter, has 30 hits on the season to go with 24 runs and six doubles. Maris Ollison has batted in a team-high 19 runs and has 28 hits while Mackenzie Graham, who has 24 hits on the year, has 13 RBI. Gabby Newman also has 24 hits, Torri Hinnah has 18 hits and 11 RBI and Lindsey Brandth has 16 hits, 12 runs and 10 RBI. In the circle, Paige Rademann has four wins, Mallorey Rogers has struck out 39 batters and Kasey Kilburn is 3-1 on the season.

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 37: FHSU 4, LU 0:  The game was scoreless entering the bottom of the fifth, but Fort Hays State broke through on a two-run double and held on to beat Lincoln, 4-0, in the opener on Friday (April 12). Paige Rademann allowed only two earned runs and had a strikeout, Maris Ollison went 2-for-3 at the plate and Torri Hinnah led LU with eight putouts. 

Game 38: LU 1, FHSU 0:  Abby Pulliam allowed just six hits in a complete-game shutout to help the Blue Tigers beat Fort Hays State, 1-0, this past Friday (April 12). The only run of the pitchers' duel came in the top of the sixth, when Brooklyn Smith scored on a ground out by Leslie Callahan. Gabby Newman, Emily Thompson and Lindsey Brandt each had hits and Torri Hinnah finished with nine putouts. 

Game 39: UNK 4, LU 1:  The Lopers scored a run in the first inning, tacked on two more in the fourth and another in the fifth to beat Lincoln, 4-1, on Saturday (April 13). Leslie Callahan scored on a ground out by Taylor Heimbaugh in the sixth for LU's run.

Game 40: UNK 10, LU 2:  The Blue Tigers took a 2-1 lead when both Taylor Heimbaugh and Leslie Callahan scored in the top of the third, but UNK used scored nine-consecutive runs to take game two of the double-header in Kearney, Neb. last Saturday (April 13). TK Lawson had two hits and Vanessa Cardenas had one.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:  Five Truman State players are batting .300 or better as TSU owns a team average of .278. Emily Wood leads the team with a .381 average, 51 hits, 32 runs, 28 RBI and seven home runs. Charlotte Chelich, a .333 hitter, has 21 RBI while Cassie Smith has 38 hits and a .330 average. Cali Coombs is batting .324 with 22 hits and Cameryn Patterson, who is batting .300, has scored 19 runs. Kaylyn Jones has struck out 37 batters and won seven games while Madie Anderson is 6-9 with 62 strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE MINERS:  Missouri S&T has a pair of strong hitters in Sydney Anderson (.383, 49 hits, 18 doubles, 30 RBI) and Bryn Wooldridge (.351, 46, 19 runs). Trista Grobe leads the Miners with 26 runs while Ty Neal has 38 hits and a .290 batting average. Elizabeth Viox, meanwhile, has scored 21 runs on 23 hits. Charlye Rowland leads the Missouri S&T rotation with a 3.06 ERA and has struck out 115 batters. Wooldridge has 128 strikeouts and an 11-9 record.

DOUBLE UP:  The Blue Tigers have turned 16 double plays, an average of 0.40 per game that is third in the MIAA and ranks 34th in the country. LU rates 32nd nationally in total double plays as well as fourth in the conference. On offense, the Blue Tigers have hit 42 doubles and are ninth in the league with an average of 1.05 per game.

GOES TO 11:  Lincoln beat Newman 11-1 on April 5 to win in five innings thanks to the run rule, which ends a game once a team has at least an eight-run lead through five full innings. This marked the first time LU won a game via the run rule over an MIAA opponent since 2016, when the Blue Tigers beat Lindenwood, 13-4.

ON DECK:  LU closes the season at home next weekend. On Friday (April 26), Lincoln hosts Northwest Missouri for a double-header at 12:00 p.m. CT. On Saturday (April 27), LU plays a twinbill against Missouri Western at 1:00 p.m. CT and will celebrate Senior Day between games.