LIBERTY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team beat William Jewell, 3-2, in the first game of its season-ending double-header on Sunday (April 27). The Cardinals took the second game, 6-0.

William Jewell (24-26) opened the scoring in game one, taking advantage of an error to push a run across the plate in the first inning. The Cardinals later built a 2-0 lead in the third on an RBI single.

In the fourth inning, Ann-Marie Simpson hit a lead-off single and Kierra O'Rourke followed with a base hit of her own. That brought up Jamilyn Bagby, who gave Lincoln (16-32, 7-21 GLVC) a 3-2 lead with a home run over the left field fence. The Blue Tigers shut down the Cardinals the rest of the way, including forcing WJC to go three-up, three-down in the bottom of the seventh.

The Blue Tigers finished with a 7-5 advantage on hits, with Vanessa Cardenas going 2-for-3 at the plate. Torri Hinnah and Lindsey Brandt also had hits, with Brandt additionally stealing a base. Jaedin Blankenship picked up the win as LU's starter and Abby Pulliam earned the save, with both players striking out WJC batters.

Defensively, Cardenas led LU with eight putouts, Simpson recorded three and O'Rourke, Bagby, Brandt, Gabby Newman and Abbi Conrad all notched two putouts. Conrad, Newman and Mackenzie Graham tied for the team-lead with three assists apiece.

The Cardinals found their offense in the second game, tallying 10 hits while holding the Blue Tigers to four. William Jewell scored one run apiece in the first, second and third innings and kept Lincoln off the board defensively.

Bagby had two hits and Conrad and Hinnah each recorded one. Pulliam struck out three William Jewell batters and Kasey Kilburn gave up just one hit while Mallorey Rogers also represented the Blue Tigers in the circle. Brandt led LU with seven putouts and Graham and Newman each tallied two assists.