The Lincoln softball team had its most productive offensive day of the season. Problem is, it didn't result in a win in either game of Saturday's doubleheader at LU Softball Field.
The Blue Tigers scored 21 runs against Nebraska-Kearney, but the Lopers scored more in a sweep with wins of 9-8 and 22-13.
"Every game, they're getting closer and closer," Lincoln coach Christine Engbers said. "They're seeing little pieces of the game that we're lacking in. We've exposed our weaknesses all year long, so once they put it together on both sides of the ball, they're going to see wins."
The second game was only the third time Lincoln has scored 10 or more runs in the game. However, the previous two outings resulted in wins.
The Blue Tigers took an early lead in Game 1. Rachael Balke hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first, her fifth home run of the week, to put the Blue Tigers ahead 3-0.
Balke hit three home runs in a doubleheader Wednesday at William Jewell and leads the team with five home runs. Engbers is hoping Balke's performance in the past week is enough to put her in the conversation for MIAA player of the week.
"She's being very confident at the plate and she's seeing the ball very well," Engbers said of Balke, who has a team-high 20 RBI. "It's her senior year, so I hope it's the best one yet."
But, as often was the case Saturday for Lincoln, a good inning at the plate was canceled out by a bad inning in the field.
Nebraska-Kearney scored five runs in the top of the second to retake the lead 6-3. Seven straight batters reached base during the Lopers' two-out rally.
In the fourth, Lincoln designated player Trista Heavin tied the game at 6 with one swing of the bat. The No. 9 hitter smashed a three-run home run to left field, scoring Tori Nienhueser and Gabi McGinty.
Lincoln has hit 14 home runs this season, nine of which were hit during the past week. In addition to Balke's five and Heavin's first homer of the season, Camryn Pryor, Emily Williams and Nienhueser also homered last week.
"We're trying not to turn it into a home run derby, but we know that it can be done, one through nine," Engbers said.
The Blue Tigers added two more runs in the fifth to take an 8-6 lead, but Nebraska-Kearney cleanup hitter Cheyenne Hamilton hit an opposite-field three-run homer in the sixth to give the Lopers the one-run win.
Hamilton finished the game 4-for-4 with five RBI.
Jordan Lawson led Lincoln, going 3-for-3 with three singles. Nienhueser and McGinty each had one single and one double.
Lincoln had its biggest inning of the season in Game 2, scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the second to take a 10-6 lead.
Mykenzie Livesay, Williams and Nienhueser each had two hits and two RBI in the inning.
"I'm very impressed with how they've just been on a steady climb offensively," said Engbers, whose team finished with 26 hits in the doubleheader. "We've talked a lot the past couple of games about leaving runners on base and cashing them in. They've really focused at practice on getting into the box and picking out a pitch that they know they can drive."
Nebraska-Kearney answered with a 10-run third inning to retake the lead for good.
Lincoln pitchers Hannah Hennessy and Shannon Greene combined to allow 34 hits to the Lopers in the doubleheader.
"A little of it has to do with fatigue," said Engbers, whose team lost 4-2 and 7-6 in Friday's home doubleheader against Fort Hays State. "I don't think that we've been in four conference games back-to-back-to-back-to-back competitively in a while. By the fourth game, I think mentally we were a little tired."
Abbie Vodicka went 4-for-5 with a pair of two-run homers to lead Nebraska-Kearney (8-14, 4-4 MIAA). She drove in five runs and Hamilton added four RBI in Game 2.
For the Blue Tigers, Pryor had a single, a double and three RBI, while Bekah Kirker, Lawson, Livesay, Williams and Nienhueser each added two hits.
Lincoln (4-24, 1-11 MIAA), which has lost its last 10 games, will play a doubleheader Wednesday at Quincy to begin a six-game road trip.
"We're really working on that winning mentality of being able to finish out ballgames," Engbers said. "We're getting closer and closer every doubleheader. It's coming, I know it's coming."