HARROGATE, Tenn. – Riding the program's longest winning streak since the 2011 season, the Lady Railsplitters (15-7) open South Atlantic Conference play on Sunday when they host Catawba (12-13) for a doubleheader at Dorothy Neely Field.
 
Lincoln Memorial pushed its winning streak to 10 games on Monday with a couple of run-rule victories over New Haven at Neely Field, winning 9-1 in game one and 14-6 in game two. That matches the 2011 team that started 10-0 for the second-longest winning streak for the program of the past decade behind only the 2010 squad that opened the season with 12 straight victories.
 
The Indians have lost six of their last eight games heading into Sunday's SAC openers, including a doubleheader sweep at the hands of No. 2 North Georgia on Thursday. Catawba mustered just three combined runs on the day, losing 7-0 in game one and 7-3 in game two.
 
Schedule / Game Day Links:
 
Sunday, March 18 vs. Catawba (1pm) – Live Stats
Sunday, March 18 vs. Catawba (3pm) – Live Stats
 
Quick Hits:
 
- The LMU offense was on base constantly to lead the team in its doubleheader sweep of New Haven. The Lady Railsplitters combined for 18 hits, six extra-base knocks, eight walks and six hit-by-pitches. That twinbill alone lifted the Lady Railsplitters' season on-base percentage to .368.
 
- Freshman third baseman Emma Webb went 5-for-7 with seven RBI, two runs scored and a double to power the Lady Railsplitters at the plate. Webb has multiple hits in five of her last seven games and is tied for the team lead with 28 hits. She has driven in a team-best 22 runs.
 
- Ty-Kella Goins went 3-for-7 against New Haven and scored six runs with three RBI over the two games. Goins has hit safely in 17 games and leads the team with 25 runs scored and seven doubles. She has also only struck out four times in 74 official at-bats.
 
- Kelsie Hocutt's eight-game hitting streak ended in game two against New Haven but the junior slugger still leads the team with a .418 batting average and six home runs. Her .818 slugging percentage is also the top mark for the Lady Railsplitters.
 
- Jacie Pittman might have solidified her spot in the lineup in those games against New Haven, as the junior went 3-for-6 with five RBI, four runs scored, two doubles and a home run.
 
- Senior pitcher Brianna Taylor has won her last six starts, including throwing a perfect game in a 9-0 win over Edinboro on March 9. Over her last nine appearances, the righty has combined to allow just seven earned runs to move to 7-4 on the season. Taylor has a 1.57 ERA and a .212 batting average against.
 
- During its 10-game winning streak, Lincoln Memorial has won five times in run-rule fashion. The Lady Railsplitters have tallied at least eight hits in every game of the streak, including double-digit hits five times.
 
- The Lady Railsplitters finished tied for eighth in the SAC standings last season but missed out on the SAC tournament because of a tiebreaker. Lincoln Memorial went 6-14 in league play.
 
Notes on Catawba:
 
- The Indians mustered just four hits off Kylee Smith, who finished with 10 strikeouts, and Laken Chambers in their game-one loss to North Georgia. Carlee Brawley had two of those four hits with a pair of singles. Catawba also committed three errors that allowed four unearned runs to score.
 
- Catawba was much more effective in game two against the Nighthawks, plating three runs on eight hits. Leah Huggins drove in two and hit a home run as part of a 2-for-4 performance, while Monica Taylor also recorded a pair of hits.
 
- Brawley leads the Catawba offense with 25 hits and five steals. The freshman has recorded three doubles, nine RBI and a .333 batting average.
 
- Another freshman, Jordan Dean is second on the team with 22 hits and leads the way with seven doubles, three homers and 18 RBI. She has also struck out a team-high 17 times and carries just a .282 batting average.
 
- Sophomore Kaylee Cook has also been impactful at the plate with a team-high three triples and .340 batting average. Her .500 slugging percentage is second on the team behind only Delane Smith, who has notched four doubles and four homers in 52 at-bats.
 
- Five different pitchers have made at least five appearances for the Indians this season. Sophomore Brooke Walser leads the team with 16 appearances and 61.2 innings pitched. Over that span, she has posted a 3-7 mark with a 3.52 ERA and 27 strikeouts. Freshman Madison Hunter has made 12 appearances with a 6-3 record and a 2.23 ERA.
 
- In general terms, Catawba has struggled at the plate this season, ranking 10th in the SAC in batting average (.278) and on-base percentage (.345) while ranking ninth in slugging percentage (.417). The team has been outscored 106-102 so far.
 
Series History:
 
- The Lady Railsplitters are just 11-14 all-time against Catawba. Lincoln Memorial split with the Indians last season in Salisbury, N.C., falling 2-1 in game one before bouncing back with a 2-1 win in game two to snap a five-game losing streak against the Indians.
 
- Lincoln Memorial is 5-4 against Catawba in Harrogate, but the Lady Railsplitters are vying for their first home win over the Indians since 2014. LMU was swept by Catawba in the two teams' last meeting at Dorothy Neely Field in 2016.