Lincoln upsets No. 7 Central Missouri in baseball

The Lincoln baseball team broke a long losing streak Tuesday afternoon in come-from-behind fashion.

Lincoln scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to down seventh-ranked Central Missouri 10-8 at Lincoln Field.

It was the first win for Lincoln against Central Missouri since 1998 when they won 10-9. It snapped a streak of 24 straight losses that included a 26-5 defeat in the first game Tuesday.

Central appeared well on its way to its 25th straight win against Lincoln early on. The Mules led 8-3 after picking up a run in the top of the eighth inning.

But the Blue Tigers stunned the Mules with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. A double by Clint Cashen put runners in scoring position with one out. After a sacrifice fly by Brad Wright made the score 8-4, Lincoln got three straight two-out hits from Colby Shepherd, Josh Kennedy and Zach Roberts to make the score 8-6.

The Mules had a chance to get out of the inning but a costly error at third base with two outs loaded the bases.

After a pitching change, the Mules walked in two runners to tie the game at 8. Ben Stewart gave the Blue Tigers a 10-8 lead with a single up the middle.

Nathan Lueckenhoff allowed one run on four hits in two innings of relief to get the win.

Stewart led the Blue Tigers with four hits and three RBI. Seth Wheeler added a home run for Lincoln. Andrew St. Pierre, Cashen, Josh Kennedy and Roberts all had two hits for the Blue Tigers, who were outhit 15-13.

Brad Wilson (Helias High School) had a single, RBI and scored a run for the Mules.

The opener didn't go as well as the nightcap for Lincoln.

The Mules banged out 24 hits and took advantage of five Lincoln errors in rout to a 26-5 win. Central led 5-2 after the first and 9-5 after the second. The Mules added nine in the fourth, two in the fifth, five in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Fifteen Central players had hits and 14 had at least one RBI. The Blue Tigers had 11 hits.

Wilson had a double and three RBI for Central. He also scored two runs.

All of Lincoln's runs came on home runs as Stewart hit a two-run shot in the first. Kennedy added a two-run shot in the second followed by a Logan Smith solo shot. The Blue Tigers finished with just six hits.

Cameron Moss took the loss for Lincoln. He allowed nine runs (eight earned) in one inning of work.

Central Missouri (25-7, 19-6 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) now leads the all-time series 89-7.

Lincoln (4-24, 3-20 MIAA) plays again Saturday with a doubleheader against Pittsburg State.