CANYON, Texas -- The Lincoln Blue Tigers picked up their first softball win of the season Sunday, defeating Texas A&M-Kingsville 7-6 in the West Texas Invitational.
The Blue Tigers scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Torri Hinnah, Vanessa Cardenas and Mackenize Graham had RBI in the inning.
Hannah Heiser scored on a scoring error in the fourth to give the Blue Tigers a 4-1 lead. Lincoln added two runs in the fifth when Graham doubled to score Cardenas and Hinnah.
Maris Ollison singled home Abbi Conrad to make it 7-2 in the top of the sixth. Texas A&M-Kingsville then scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the final 7-6.
Heisler finished with three hits to lead a 12-hit Lincoln attack. Conrad, Cardenas and Graham all added two hits.
Abby Pulliam got the win in relief. She allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Mallorey Rogers got the final four outs for the save. Kasey Kilburn got the start, allowing a run on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
In their second game Sunday, the Blue Tigers dropped a 6-0 decision to West Texas A&M.
West Texas A&M scored single runs in the first and second innings, added two more in the fourth, then totaled one more in both the fifth and seventh.
Ollison finished with two of Lincoln's five hits in the game.
Rogers took the loss, pitching the first 5 1/3 innings. She allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Jaedin Blankenship allowed a run on two hits and one walk in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Late Saturday night, Lincoln fell 6-3 in nine innings to Eastern New Mexico. Lincoln led 3-0 after five innings before Eastern New Mexico tied it with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to send the game to extra innings. Eastern New Mexico won it with a three-run ninth.
Ollison, Graham and Jamilyn Bagby all drove in a run for the Blue Tigers. Rogers took the loss in relief, pitching the ninth. Pulliam started, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. She struck out two. Blankenship pitched the next 2 2/3 innings, allowing a run on one hit and one walk while recording five strikeouts.
Lincoln is back in action starting Friday in the Blue Ridge Battle. The event, hosted by Kentucky Wesleyan, runs through Sunday in Evansville, Ind.