JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln baseball team led for much of the first game of its twinbill against Drury on Saturday (March 28), but a two-RBI double allowed the Panthers to escape Vivion Field with a 3-2 victory. Drury also won the second game, 18-7.

A sacrifice fly brought in DU's first run of the day in game one's opening inning, but the Blue Tigers were able to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Daren Walters-Ansell hit an infield single and Brody Johns and Chase Morris were both issued walks. A fourth walk, drawn by Jayden Little, allowed Walters-Ansell to score and tie contest at 1-1.

After turning a double play to end the top of the third, Tim Fleming led the bottom half of the inning off with a solo home run. Lincoln (6-19, 0-11 GLVC) would continue to maintain a 2-1 advantage until the top of the fifth, when Drury (16-12, 7-4 GLVC) hit a double to bring in two more scores for the 3-2 final. Lincoln loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth and advanced a runner to third in the sixth inning, but the Panthers forced timely outs to prevent LU from tying the game.

Fleming finished the opener with two hits while Walters-Ansell, Johns, Andy Srebroski IV, Nolan Laughlin and Easton Stuckenschneider tallied one apiece. Brody Kleffner struck out three batters while pitching the game's first four innings, and Carter Otto, LU's closer, notched one strikeout. Little led LU's defense with seven putouts while Fleming and Laughlin each had four. Walters-Ansell recorded four assists and Morris supplied three.

In the second game, Drury built an early 4-0 advantage in the top of the first inning, but Lincoln demonstrated some offensive firepower of its own in the bottom of the frame. Morris led LU off with a walk and Srebroski singled into right field. That brought up Little, who knocked the ball over the center field fence for a home run that cut the Panther advantage down to 4-3.

Drury kept applying pressure offensively, however, as the Panthers scored 10 runs on nine hits in the top of the second. In the bottom of the second, Zane Hunter II got on base with a bunt single, reached second on another walk issued to Morris, then scored when Fleming was walked with the bases loaded. A Drury error later allowed Fleming and Little to score, making it a 14-7 ballgame, but that was as close as LU would come to rallying.

Laughlin, Little and Srebroski each finished game two with a pair of hits. Felix Marquez also had a hit while Srebroski and Little tied for the team-lead with six putouts apiece. Srebroski and Walters-Ansell each recorded three assists while Morris was next with two. On the mound, Ty Ollison rang up three strikeouts.

Lincoln and Drury will close their four-game season series on Sunday (March 29) with a 12:00 p.m. CDT contest.