JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team played two close games against Missouri S&T on Friday (April 3), but the Miners won both contests with final scores of 4-3 and 9-5.

The games were played at LU Softball Field, but the Blue Tigers were actually the visiting team, as the Miners were originally scheduled to host these contests. The games were moved to Jefferson City because of storms across mid-Missouri.

Gracie Wright had a base hit and later scored on a double from Faith Jaegers to give Lincoln (15-14, 3-9 GLVC) an early 1-0 advantage during the first inning of the opener. Missouri S&T (21-13, 8-4 GLVC) responded with an RBI double of its own in the bottom of the first, and the score remained tied until the bottom of the third when a sacrifice fly gave the Miners a 2-1 lead. Missouri S&T closed its scoring in the fourth inning with a two-run homer.

In the top of the fifth inning, Brooklyn Smith reached the plate on a single from Ella Percival. A ground out later allowed Josie Bezzole to score, cutting the Missouri S&T lead to 4-3. The Blue Tigers had runners on second and third with one out on the board later in the frame, but a pop out and a ground out kept the Miners on top.

Percival finished with two hits and Wright, Jaegers, Bezzole, TK Lawson and Ann-Marie Simpson finished with one each. Jaedin Blankenship and Abrea Simmons each struck out Miner batters and Josie Stewart led the defense with six putouts. Percival and Reese Smith both turned three assists.

In the second game, a solo home run in the second inning by Missouri S&T opened the scoring. Hannah Heisler tied the game in the top of the third by scoring on a hit by Jaegers, but a two-run homer jump started a six-run third frame for the Miners. In the fourth inning, Paige Rees hit a double and came home on a two-base hit from Percival. Wright then hit a three-run homer that also plated Simpson and Percival, cutting the Miner lead down to 7-5.

Another solo home run in the bottom of the fourth gave Missouri S&T back a three-run advantage, and the Miners tacked on one more run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly. Rees went 3-for-3 at the plate, Percival tallied two hits and Jaegers, Wright, Simpson and Heisler all had one. 

Abby Pulliam struck out two as Lincoln's starter in the circle while relievers Mallorey Rogers and Joss Marriott each fanned one. Simpson and Kierra O'Rourke both had four putouts while Stewart was next with three. 

Lincoln is back at LU Softball Field on Tuesday (April 7) to host Cottey in a 2:00 p.m. CDT non-conference double-header.