KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln baseball team scored seven runs on eight hits as the Blue Tigers tried to rally from an early deficit, but Rockhurst held on for a 12-7 victory in the second game of a double-header on Thursday (April 2). The Hawks also won the opener, 16-6.

In game two, the Hawks managed to score six runs in the bottom of the first inning, but the Blue Tigers were able to cut that lead in half in the second. Hunter Mitchell hit a single and Nolan Laughlin was issued a walk. Blythe Blakey brought both players home with a double into center field, and he came home himself during the next at-bat when AJ Williams hit a single.

Rockhurst (20-11, 9-9 GLVC) regained a six-run advantage in the bottom of the second with three runs on four hits. Mitchell got the Lincoln (6-22, 0-14 GLVC) rally going again in the third, however, as he hit a home run that also plated Daren Walters-Ansell, cutting the Blue Tiger deficit to 9-5.

Across the fourth and fifth frames, Rockhurst scored three more runs to go ahead 12-5. In the sixth inning, however, Jacob Schulte, Blakey and Williams were each issued walks to load the bases. Andy Srebroski IV drove in Schulte with a base hit and Blakey scored on a fielding error to pull Lincoln back within five. The Blue Tigers later had a pair of base runners in the final inning, but the Hawks turned a double play to end LU's comeback attempt.

Easton Stuckenschneider went 3-for-4 at the plate during the night cap and Mitchell had two hits. Brody Kleffner notched a strikeout as Lincoln's starter on the mound while closer Payten Hinton fanned three of the nine batters he faced. Stuckenschneider recorded five putouts and Mitchell and Williams each recorded four. Blakey tallied three assists while Walters-Ansell and Stuckenschneider both turned two.

In the first game, the Hawks took a 3-0 lead at the end of the opening inning, but Lincoln came back to tie the contest in the second. Walters-Ansell hit a double to score Stuckenschneider before Laughlin came home on a passed ball. Chase Morris singled to drive in Walters-Ansell and tie the game at 3-3.

It did not take Rockhurst long to get back on top, though, as the Hawks broke the tie with a run on a fielder's choice and hit a two-run homer to go up 6-3 at the end of the second. Jayden Little scored a run in the third inning to get LU back within two, but Rockhurst scored three more runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a commanding lead. LU's other two runs came in the top of fifth, as back-to-back base hits from Stuckenschneider and Laughlin respectively plated Little and Tim Fleming.

Walters-Ansell, Mitchell and Srebroski each had two hits in the opener while Little, Fleming, Morris, Laughlin and Stuckenschneider each had one. Canon Feist and Kris Haley each struck out a pair of RU batters and Fleming and Laughlin both had five putouts. Walters-Ansell led Lincoln with two assists.

The Blue Tigers are scheduled to play another twinbill against the Hawks on Friday (April 3), with first pitch set for 11:00 a.m. CDT.