BRANSON, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team dropped its final two games of the Branson Showtime Classic on Saturday (March 1), falling to Central Oklahoma, 3-0, and Missouri Southern, 10-0.

Central Oklahoma (17-3) entered the game ranked No. 13 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Division II poll and looked the part on Saturday, as the Blue Tigers were held without a hit or a base runner. Lincoln (6-8) played some dominant defense in five of UCO's six offensive frames, as all three of the Bronchos' runs came in the bottom of the third. A single drove in the first run of the contest while the other two each came on sacrifice flies.

Jaedin Blankenship struck out one UCO batter while Kasey Kilburn fanned two. Lindsey Brandt had a team-high five putouts while Kierra O'Rourke and Josie Bezzole each contributed three. Vanessa Cardenas and Torri Hinnah, meanwhile, were responsible for two putouts apiece. Abbi Conrad led LIncoln with two assists.

The second game of the day was close through the first three innings, with MSSU scoring one run in the first frame on a sacrifice fly and another in the third on an error. Missouri Southern (12-7) had 10 hits overall, including two in a fourth inning in which the Lions scored four runs. Emily Thompson, Addie Lang and Jamilyn Bagby each had hits for LU, but the Blue Tigers were prevented from pushing a run across the plate.

Hinnah led the Lincoln defense with five putouts, Ann-Marie Simpson was credited with four and Brandt and Gabby Newman finished with three apiece. Lang and Conrad both turned two assists.

Lincoln will be home at LU Softball Field on Friday (March 7) to host Parkside in a 12:00 p.m. CST double-header.