JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team and Indianapolis played each other very evenly in a pair of games that required extra innings to decide on Saturday (March 29). Indianapolis was able to eke out a 3-2 win in the first game, an 11-inning affair, and the Greyhounds later took game two in eight frames, 5-3.

Lincoln (10-20, 1-11 GLVC) struck first in the opener, as Ann-Marie Simpson got on base courtesy of an error in the LU's first plate appearance of the contest before scoring on sacrifice fly by Vanessa Cardenas. An RBI triple that was later followed by an RBI double allowed Indianapolis (23-13, 11-5 GLVC) to take a 2-1 advantage in the top of the second, but the Blue Tigers answered in the bottom of the third, as Josie Bezzole hit a lead-off double before scoring on a single hit by Abbi Conrad.

The game then turned into a pitcher's duel. Indianapolis led the fifth inning off with a triple, but terrific defense by the Blue Tigers stranded the runner. In the bottom half of the frame, Addie Lang hit a two-out single and later advanced to third, but the Greyhounds forced a ground out to end the threat. Both teams hit doubles in the eighth inning, but good pitching and solid defense kept the contest tied at 2-2. Indianapolis finally broke the tie in the top of the 11th, using a sacrifice fly to bring in the winning run.

Kasey Kilburn struck out three and allowed just two hits while pitching the first eight innings of the contest. Conrad went 4-for-5 at the plate and Simpson also had a hit. Defensively, Cardenas led LU with 11 putouts, Kierra O'Rourke was next with six, Bezzole posted four and Lindsey Brandt and Lang each finished with three. Lang provided six assists while Mackenzie Graham supplied four.

In the second game, Indianapolis scored in the top of the first inning on a base hit, and the 1-0 score stood until the bottom of the fourth, when Torri Hinnah reached on a walk before scoring on a double hit by Jamilyn Bagby. Hinnah later broke the tie in the sixth inning when her solo home run gave Lincoln a 2-1 advantage.

Back-to-back hits in the top of the seventh allowed Indianapolis to tie the game on a fielder's choice, but the Blue Tigers stranded a pair of base runners to keep it a 2-2 affair. The Greyhounds were able to break the tie in the top of the eighth, however, scoring three runs on four hits. In the bottom of the eighth, Hinnah plated Conrad on a double and later reached third, but Indianapolis was able to get the final out to win, 5-3.

Hinnah and Bagby each had two hits while Conrad and Graham added one apiece. Mallorey Rogers and Abbie Farmer each struck out Greyhound batters while Gabby Newman supplied seven assists and Conrad and Graham each tallied two. Hinnah finished with eight putouts, Bezzole recorded five and Brandt was next with three.

Lincoln will play Illinois-Springfield on Sunday (March 30) in a double-header that, due to weather, is now scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. CDT.