JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team out-scored Stephens 19-0 to win a pair of home games on Wednesday (Feb. 26). Lincoln took the opener, 11-0, and won the second game, 8-0.

After striking out 11 batters during her last start, Abby Pulliam picked up where she left off, striking out eight in Wednesday's first game while allowing just one hit. Lincoln (5-5) got its offense going early, with Ann-Marie Simpson scoring on a double by Mackenzie Graham and Vanessa Cardenas reaching home on a wild pitch. Both Simpson and Cardenas singled earlier in the frame.

Lindsey Brandt led the second inning off with a double before scoring on a base hit by Gabby Newman. Abbi Conrad hit a liner into right field to drive in Newman and later scored on a throwing miscue. Back-to-back doubles from Cardenas and Graham brought home Maris Ollison and Cardenas, respectively, and Brandt's second two-base hit of the inning drove in Graham and Jamilyn Bagby, pushing LU's lead to 9-0.

Conrad scored on a base hit by Ollison in the bottom of the third and Newman drove in Bagby on an outfield single in the fourth. Lincoln had 13 hits in the game, including one by Bagby, and nine total RBI. Bagby led Lincoln with eight putouts while Conrad turned two assists.

Stephens (0-2) held LU to only one run in the bottom of the first in game two, as Conrad scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Ollison. In the second inning, Kierra O'Rourke hit a double, reached third on a bunt from Brandt and later scored on a ground out by Hannah Heisler. Addie Lang followed with a triple to drive in O'Rourke, putting Lincoln ahead 3-0. 

A fielding error in the third inning allowed Torri Hinnah to score and, later in the frame, Heisler got her second RBI on a sacrifice fly that drove in Graham. Lincoln reached run rule territory in the fourth inning, as Conrad scored on a hit by Ollison and Ollison and Josie Bezzole scored on an outfield single by O'Rourke. Lincoln had 10 total hits in Wednesday's second game, with O'Rourke going 3-for-3 at the plate.

Hinnah finished with two hits and Lang, Brandt, Ollison, Conrad and Bezzole each had one. Mallorey Rogers allowed just one hit and only one run in the complete-game victory and Hinnah finished with a team-high eight putouts. Rogers recorded four assists while Conrad and Lang each had two.

Lincoln will play four games in the Branson Showtime Classic this weekend. On Friday (Feb. 28), LU plays Nebraska Kearney at 1:30 p.m. CST and Winona State at 5:30 p.m. CST. On Saturday (March 1), the Blue Tigers face Central Oklahoma at 2:45 p.m. CST and Missouri Southern at 4:45 p.m. CST.