OXFORD, Pa. — It took until the final play of the double header with Saint Paul's College, but the Lincoln softball team finally crossed home when Sasha Evans (Hampton, VA/Phoebus)'s (Hampton, VA, Phoebus) single up the middle scored Erin Rucker (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) (Shalher Heights, Shalher Heights).
Taylor Hines (Beachwood, OH/Beachwood) (Beachwood, OH, Beachwood), trying to score from second, was gunned down at the plate on a strike thrown by the centerfielder for the third out of the inning and final out of the game.
Rucker's leadoff single through the left side broke up a no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth of game-two by Saint Paul's pitcher Scherrie Smith.
Smith proved overpowering in the circle, winning both games and pitching all 10 innings of the double dip as the Lady Tigers won, 14-0 in game one, and 12-1 in game two.
She allowed four hits in the first game and just the two in game two. For Lincoln, Rucker (1-6) pitched a complete-game loss in the opener while Hines (6-11) got the decision in the nightcap.
SPC's offense in game one came primarily from the team of Kristina Caldwell, who went 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs, and Stephanie Gray, contributing a two-run homer and 3 RBIs of her own.
Lincoln's best scoring threat in the opener came in the third when Shira Miller (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS) (Seattle, Wash., Roosevelt) was thrown out at home on a ball hit to third by Evans with the infield in to prevent the run. Miller pinch ran for Hines who had walked to start the frame and got to second on a stolen base and third on a passed ball.
Because this was the final home date on the Lincoln schedule, between games, Lincoln honored four senior players as well as one senior manager Renee Gonzalez. Alexandra Lobban (Upper Marlboro,MD/) (Upper Marlboro,MD), Collene Cumberbatch (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway ) (Piscataway, NJ, Piscataway), Tanina Cook (Landover, MD/Charles Herbert Flowers) (Landover, MD, Charles Herbert Flowers) and Chanelle Harris (Philadelphia, PA/Penn Wood) (Philadelphia, PA, Penn Wood) each played their last home game.
— LU —
