Harrogate, TN- Lincoln Memorial earns their first-ever home sweep over the Wingate Bulldogs on Senior Day today, taking the first 2-0 and the second 6-5.

Lincoln Memorial would find themselves forced to save a bases-loaded situation, something they would do successfully to keep the game scoreless after a half inning of play. The favor would be returned, LMU putting runners on the corners thanks to walks issued to Kristin Griffin and Jordann Reagan. The Bulldogs would find their way out of it, keeping it 0-0 into the second inning. Wingate would get the first hit of the day, earning another runner on in the top of the second, the Splitter defense stopping the rally thanks to a pair of heads-up plays by the infield. Nicole Couvertiere would be the one to earn LMU's first hit of the day, making the most of it as she would turn on one to send it over the left field wall and give the Splitters the 1-0 lead on the day. Kristin Griffin would step up and do the same thing in the bottom of the third, her solo home run making it a 2-0 LMU lead. Hanna Bogoski would be walked in the next at-bat, forcing Wingate to make a pitching change. Couvertiere would earn another hit on the day to make it two-on, both advancing on a wild pitch in the next at-bat. They'd be stranded there, however, keeping it at 2-0 after three. 

Brianna Baer would kick things off with a single to left to start the bottom of the fourth. Reagan would earn her first hit of the later on in the inning, but LMU would leave yet another two stranded going into the top of the fifth. Wingate would threaten again in the top half of the frame after loading the bases yet again, but a groundout to Gracie Palmer at short would end the inning and keep the Bulldogs scoreless. Lincoln Memorial would strand more Wingate runners in the top of the sixth. Anna Kate Reichter would extend her hit and on-base streak to 14 games in the bottom of the sixth, but she and Baer would be left on base and take it to the top of the seventh with the score still 2-0. Wingate would get a runner on third but, fittingly, senior Halle Grace Patton would earn the strikeout for the last out, her 21st victory in the circle on the season.

The bats would start hot for the Splitters. Anna Kate Reichter extended her streak to 15 games after sending a lead-off triple to left-center and then crossing the plate an at-bat later from Kristin Griffin's sacrifice fly. Hanna Bogoski's stand-up double would add another to the hit tally in the first, but she would be stranded there, ending the inning with the 1-0 LMU lead. Brianna Baer would walk her way on base in the bottom of the second, Gracie Palmer doing the same in the following at-bat, giving LMU two on, one out. Reichter's contact would draw an error from the Bulldogs, giving them a bases-loaded situation. Kristin Griffin's appearance would result in a walk, earning her an RBI and making it a 2-0 lead. Wingate's ensuing appearance would do the same, loading the bases thanks to two singles and a hit-by-pitch. A strikeout and a line out would end the inning, however, keeping Wingate scoreless on the afternoon. The momentum would still be in favor of the Splitters, Nicole Couvertiere starting a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Hers would be the first of back-to-back doubles, Alyssa Williams hitting the second to score Couvertiere and make it a three-run gap. Baer's walk would give LMU two on, both runners scoring thanks to a double from Gracie Palmer in the ensuring plate appearance. Wingate's left-on-base tally would increase in the top of the fourth, still coming up empty despite getting on. 

A pitching change from Wingate would start with Kristin Griffin's infield single in the bottom of the fourth, ending with her on third thanks to a wild pitch and contact from Reagan. Hannah McMeen's RBI single next would extend the lead to six and take the contest to the top of the fifth. An empty inning and a pitching change would be the fifth, with Reichter and Griffin earning back-to-back singles as other highlights despite coming up empty in the frame. Wingate's first runs would come in a hurry, scoring five on four hits in the top of the sixth, Patton coming in relief for Katie Fultz to close out the half frame. The 6-5 score would stay to the top of the seventh, Wingate earning the single to lead off the half inning. The runner would advance on a sacrifice bunt, but a fly-out and ground-out would do it, giving Fultz the victory and Patton the save. 

LMU moves to 31-16 in the regular season, 15-9 in conference, as Wingate falls to 33-19, 18-6 in conference. Lincoln Memorial clinches the host right for the first round of conference with the wins and will await to see their opponent this Friday, April 25th, after the conclusion of the regular season officially tomorrow.