Lincoln throws 12 great frames in softball sweep

Over Southwest Baptist

Twelve straight scoreless innings from Lincoln pitching did the trick Saturday afternoon.

The Blue Tigers cruised to a doubleheader sweep of Southwest Baptist, winning 5-0 and 6-2.

Clair Lorenz hurled a complete-game shutout in the opener, striking out nine while allowing four hits.

Kristina Hein provided all the offense the Blue Tigers needed with an RBI double in the first inning. Lincoln added another run in the fifth on an error to make it 2-0.

Sam Kircher singled in a run in the sixth before Hein capped the scoring later in the frame with a two-run homer.

Kircker went 3-for-4, while Hein and Joey Bunch both collected a pair of hits.

Lincoln's bats got going early in the nightcap as well. Erin Sommerer made it 1-0 in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly.

Hein made it 2-0 in the third with a run-scoring single before Sommerer connected on a two-run homer in the third and a solo shot in the fifth to make it 5-0.

Starr McLeod added an RBI single later in the fifth before Southwest Baptist picked up a run in both the sixth and the seventh.

McLeod was the winner, allowing two earned runs on seven hits in a complete-game effort. She struck out five.

Hein, Sommerer, McLeod and Brianna Akers all collected two hits.

Lincoln (12-15-1, 4-10 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation) hosts Central Missouri for a doublehader Sunday starting at 1 p.m. Sunday's Senior Day closes out Lincoln's home schedule.

Southwest Baptist (4-36) is on a 30-game losing streak.