SALISBURY, N.C. — Worth the wait.
 
In a doubleheader that was supposed to be played Saturday, the Lincoln Memorial University softball team came ready with its eyes on the prize Monday afternoon in Salisbury, N.C.
 
The Lady Railsplitters needed to win both against the Indians, while getting some help from its peers to become South Atlantic Conference regular-season champions for the first time in program history.
 
LMU (34-12, 12-8 SAC) did just that by taking care of its business as the Lady Railsplitters used a five-run first inning in game one to cling onto an 8-5 victory, and then the visiting team finished the SAC regular-season finale the right way, winning 3-1 in game two for their third SAC sweep of the season to secure their spot atop of the conference as SAC regular-season champions.
 
"I'm so proud of these girls. They did something today that rarely happens in the SAC — they swept a team on the road," LMU head coach Ritchie Richardson said. "It's a great moment for them and the LMU Softball Program. We talk about People, Process, Product all the time. All season and today our people have been outstanding. It's a great day to be a Railsplitter."
 
The Lady Railsplitters couldn't have asked for a better start than the five-run first inning one they had Monday. Junior Ty-Kella Goins began the strong surge and ended it as she used a solo home run, and then showed her speed with an infield RBI-single as the lineup came back around to her versus a new pitcher in Brooke Walsh, who replaced Preston Ellenberg (L, 6-5). The junior's 2-for-2 first frame led her two-hit day, while her teammates sandwiched in three more runs in the middle.
 
A Kelsie Hocutt walk and a pair of singles — one from Emma Webb and McKenzie Henry — loaded the bases for Grace Cochran, who scored on Goins' RBI, and she used an RBI of her own to score the lead runner. With two outs, the Lady Railsplitters kept scoring as Jacie Pittman reached on a fielder's choice followed by Webb and Henry scoring on the second baseman's throwing error to make it 4-nil before Goins' RBI-single.
 
Sierra Hucklebee joined hitting party as she sliced one down the right-field line, scoring Bella Buccellato who singled and stole second to put herself in scoring position for the six-run lead. The Indians then cut into the deficit by one, but an LMU 8-2-5 double play ended the threat.
 
Catawba (22-20, 9-10) picked up where it left off in the third inning into the fourth, plating four runs and forcing a pitching change. Justice Smith (W, 10-2) relieved Faith Howe, working out of the threat and ultimately shutting the Indians down as she allowed just two hits over her 3.1 innings.
 
The junior's offense did the rest, securing the game one victory with a two-run seventh inning as Goins recorded her third RBI and Hucklebee got her second via an RBI-double, plating Pittman (2-for-4, 2B).
 
In the second game, the script was completely flipped. It took fourth innings for anything to come about offensively as the Lady Railsplitters pushed through first. With two outs, Allie Jones reached on a fielding error to score Emma Webb (walk) and go up 1-nil.
 
The Indians abruptly answered as Jordan Dean blasted a two-out, solo blast over the center-field wall to snap Bailey Griffith's one-hitter, but the tie didn't last for long. LMU responded quickly as Hucklebee singled in Bella Buccellato (1-for-2, 2B), and then Hocutt (1-for-3, 2B) used a sac fly to bring Goins (3-for-4, 2B) home for the two-run lead.
 
After the Lady Railsplitters re-took the lead, Griffith (W, 13-7) was lights out in the circle, allowing just two more hits over the next three innings for the complete-game performance that led LMU to its first-ever regular-season SAC championship in program history.