FAYETTE, Iowa - The Lincoln softball team scored eight runs on 12 hits to beat Upper Iowa, 8-2, in the first game of a double-header on Saturday (April 5). The Peacocks won the rematch, 13-4.

Upper Iowa (12-21, 8-10 GLVC) scored a pair of runs on a single in the bottom of the second inning in the first contest, but Lincoln (12-22, 3-13 GLVC) shut out the Peacocks the rest of the way. LU cut its deficit in half in the top of the third as Ann-Marie Simpson drove in Abbi Conrad on a triple. The Blue Tigers later took the lead in the fourth, as Simpson hit a second-consecutive triple, this time with the bases loaded, to plate Conrad, Hannah Heisler and Lindsey Brandt.

Vanessa Cardenas singled to start the rally, then took third when Mackenzie Graham hit a double. Brandt's base hit up the middle drove in Cardenas to tie the game, and Heisler's hit into left field allowed Graham to score, giving Lincoln a lead it would not relinquish. Conrad was issued a walk, setting up Simpson's bases-clearing triple.

The Blue Tigers added to their lead in the seventh inning, which began with Simpson reaching on a walk. Torri Hinnah hit a double, then Kierra O'Rourke supplied a two-base hit of her own to bring in both runners for the 8-2 final. Simpson, Conrad, O'Rourke and Cardenas each had two hits on Saturday.

Abby Pulliam picked up the win in the circle, allowing just the two earned runs on four total hits while striking out six. O'Rourke had a team-high six putouts, Graham finished with four and Brandt added three. Addie Lang recorded an assist.'

Upper Iowa controlled the second game from start to finish, bringing in six runs in the bottom of the first while scoring multiple runs in both the second and fourth frames. Lincoln's first run of the contest came in the top of the second, when Emily Thompson scored on a fielding error. Conrad scored in the third inning on a base hit by Graham, who later hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth. Later in that frame, Jamilyn Bagby hit a double and scored on a base hit from Heisler.

Bagby and Graham each had two hits in game two while Simpson, Hinnah, Heisler, Cardenas and Gabby Newman tallied one apiece. Jaedin Blankenship struck out a batter in the circle and Newman finished with a team-high five assists. Hinnah led LU with seven putouts.

Lincoln travels to Romeoville, Ill. on Sunday (April 6) to play Lewis in a 12:00 p.m. CDT double-header.