KEARNEY, Neb. - It took five tries, but the Lincoln baseball team finally picked up its first win of the season.
Lincoln topped Nebraska Kearney 10-6 in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead with two runs in both the first and second innings.
Ben Stewart opened the scoring with an RBI single to center. Clint Cashen followed with his own run-scoring hit up the middle. Lincoln plated two more runs in the second thanks to a two-base error by the Loper third baseman.
Nebraska Kearney struck back with a run in the bottom of the second and two more in the third to get within one.
Colby Shepherd put Lincoln up 6-3 with a two-run double to left in the fourth before a sac fly in the bottom of the frame got Nebraska Kearney back to within two.
Shepherd picked up an RBI single in the fifth and another run scored on an error to put the Blue Tigers ahead 8-4.
After the Lopers cut the deficit to 8-5 with a run in the eighth, Caleb Kemna stroked a single to right that brought two runs home.
Nebraska Kearney scored a run in the bottom of the ninth on a bases-loaded walk, but a fly out ended the game.
Scott Jones picked up the win for Lincoln by tossing eight innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits with one strikeout.
Lincoln started the day with an 11-3 loss to the Lopers.
Stewart gave the Blue Tiger a brief 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the first but Nebraska Kearney responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame.
The Lopers broke the game open with a six-run fourth inning.
Andrew St. Pierre picked up an RBI single in the fifth and Lincoln added another run on an error to make the score 8-3.
The Lopers tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Blake Jones took the loss by throwing 32â„3 innings and allowing eight runs on four hits and seven walks.
Lincoln (1-4, 1-1 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) and Nebraska Kearney (1-3, 1-1 MIAA) play the rubber match at noon Sunday.