BRANSON, Mo. -
Abby Pulliam threw a no-hitter as the Lincoln softball team shut out Nebraska Kearney, 6-0, in the first game of the Branson Showtime Classic on Friday (Feb. 28). The Blue Tigers also played Winona State on Friday, falling on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, 4-3.
Pulliam struck out five and retired UNK in order in four of the game's seven innings. Her performance was Lincoln's first no-hitter since 2022, when Jordan Galliher and Ashton Stalling combined to keep Kentucky State hitless. Pulliam also posted LU's first solo no-hitter since March 28, 2018, when Delayne Patton accomplished the feat against Harris Stowe.
Lincoln opened the game strong, forcing Nebraska Kearney to go three-up, three-down in the top of the first before scoring four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Errors allowed
Abbi Conrad and
Vanessa Cardenas to get on base, with Cardenas bringing in Conrad for an RBI.
Maris Ollison,
Mackenzie Graham and
Faith Jaegers each had base hits, with Jaegers driving in both Graham and Cardenas on her hit into right center. Ollison also scored for LU in the top of the first, capitalizing on a wild pitch.
Ann-Marie Simpson led the top of the fifth off with a bae hit, Ollison was issued a walk and Cardenas loaded the bases by hitting a single. A pair of sacrifice flies by
Lindsey Brandt and Jaegers brought in Simpson and Ollison to cap the scoring for Lincoln. Graham had two hits in the victory while Jaegers led LU with three RBI.
Cardenas led Lincoln defensively with eight putouts while Jaegers had five and
Josie Bezzole was next with four.
Gabby Newman turned three assists and Pulliam and Conrad each had two.
In the second game of the evening, Winona State hit a homer in the bottom of the first inning, Graham homered for Lincoln in the top of the fourth, and that was it for runs in the seven innings of regulation for either team. In the top of the eighth, Simpson had a base hit and later scored on a single from
Torri Hinnah. Graham picked up her second RBI of the game on a base hit that plated Hinnah, giving LU a 3-1 advantage. WSU was able to answer in the bottom of the inning, however, scoring three times to claim the win.
Graham and Simpson each had two hits while Hinnah, Bezzole,
Jamilyn Bagby and
Addie Lang each had one.
Mallorey Rogers racked up six strikeouts and Bagby finished with six putouts while Hinnah led LU with seven. Ollison provided four assists and Conrad recorded two.
Lincoln will continue play in the Branson Showtime Classic on Saturday (March 1) with games against Central Oklahoma and Missouri Southern.
