QUINCY, Ill. - The Lincoln softball team continued to make history on Saturday (April 25), as the Blue Tigers clinched their first-ever 20-win season with a double-header sweep against Quincy. The Blue Tigers took advantage of three homers in a 5-2 win in the opener, then shut out the Hawks in game two for an 8-0 victory.

Hannah Heisler opened the scoring in the first game with a solo home run in the top of the second inning, then Faith Jaegers hit a home run in the fourth to put LU ahead, 2-0. In the fifth inning, Josie Bezzole hit a lead-off single, stole second base, then came home on an outfield single from Kierra O'Rourke.

Quincy (7-39, 3-19 GLVC) did not get on the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth, when the Hawks took advantage of an error by the Blue Tigers to score their only runs of the afternoon. Lincoln (21-20, 7-15 GLVC) got the runs back in the top of the seventh, as O'Rourke hit a home run that also plated Gracie Wright for the 5-2 final.

The Blue Tigers finished with a dominant 12-2 advantage in total hits, with O'Rourke, Jaegers, Wright, Heisler and Ann-Marie Simpson each finishing with two hits in the opener. Bezzole and Josie Stewart also had hits, and Mallorey Rogers struck out eight batters to earn the victory in the circle. Maddie Sechrest struck out one of the three batters she faced in the seventh inning to pick up the save. Jaegers led LU with eight putouts, Stewart provided five and Heisler finished with four.

Lincoln had another huge offensive performance in game two, out-hitting the Hawks, 11-2. LU was backed up by a strong outing by Abby Pulliam, who pitched the complete game and struck out seven Quincy batters.

In the second inning of the night cap, Lincoln loaded the bases on a walk issued to Stewart, a single by Heisler and a throwing error that allowed Paige Rees to safely reach first. Simpson then drove in both Stewart and Heisler on a base hit through the left side to give the Blue Tigers an early 2-0 lead.

Wright led the third inning off with a base hit, then increased the LU lead to 3-0 when she scored on a single by TK Lawson. That was how the score would remain until the sixth frame, when Lincoln scored three more runs on four hits. After Stewart hit a double, Danyel Heppner came in as a pinch runner and scored on a double from Heisler. Simpson later hit LU's third double of the inning to plate both Rees and Bezzole.

An error to begin the top of the seventh allowed O'Rourke to reach base, and she was quickly driven home when Lawson homered to give the Blue Tigers the 8-0 lead. Heisler went 3-for-4 at the plate in game two and Simpson finished with four RBI. Simpson, Wright and Lawson each supplied two hits while Stewart and Rees each had one. O'Rourke finished with seven putouts and Stewart was next with six while Simpson tallied four and Pulliam had three. Rees finished with a team-high three assists.

Lincoln plays its final road games of the season on Sunday (April 26), as the Blue Tigers travel to Kirksville, Mo. to take on Truman State in a 12:00 p.m. CDT double-header.