Harrogate, TN- Lincoln Memorial advanced to the next round of the SAC Softball Championship with the win over Anderson, 5-2 today. 

Per the conference rule, Anderson would be the home team in the contest, bringing LMU up to bat in the top of the first. Anna Kate Reichter would earn the first hit of the day, finding a gap up the middle for the leadoff single. Reichter would steal second to get into scoring position, rounding third and crossing home thanks to a Jordann Reagan double down the left-field line later in the inning for the early 1-0 lead. The Trojans would get a baserunner of their own in the bottom of the first, but a nice 4-6-3 double play would end the inning and send the top of the lineup down in order. Nicole Couvertiere would be the one to get things started in the second, laying down a bunt to get aboard. Brianna Baer would make that two on with a single of her own to left field. Reichter would return to the plate and earn her second hit of the day, singling down the right-field line and scoring Couvertiere to make it 2-0 in favor of LMU. Back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the second would see Anderson scoring their first run of the series, making it 2-1 going into the third. Despite a triple from Hannah McMeen in the top of the frame, the Railsplitters would go scoreless in the half inning. A hit-by-pitch followed by a sacrifice bunt would give the AU a runner in scoring position, that runner later scoring on a double down the line to make it even at 2-2. 

Both teams would go scoreless despite leaving runners on base in the fourth, taking it to LMU's offense in the top of the fifth. Kristin Griffin would step into the box first, singling up the middle and then advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hanna Bogoski. Consecutive walks would be issued to Reagan and McMeen, loading the bases with one out. Couvertiere would step up next, sending one to center field just deep enough to allow Griffin to tag up and score, allowing Lincoln Memorial to retake the lead 3-2. It would go up three-up, three-down in the next two half innings, bringing Anderson up in the bottom of the sixth. An error and a base hit would lead to runners on second and third, but the LMU defense would fight their way out of it, keeping the tally in their favor going into the last inning. Griffin would lead things off yet again, earning another hit to get on base. Bogoski's first hit of the series would come just in time, finding the right-center gap for an RBI triple, Griffin crossing the plate and making it 4-2 LMU. A walk and a fielder's choice, followed by a stolen base from McMeen would give the Splitters two in scoring position, a perfect bunt from Couvertiere successfully executing the squeeze situation to add yet another insurance run and extend the score to 5-2. The Trojans would come up empty in the bottom of the seventh, allowing LMU to take the opening series in two. Halle Grace Patton earned the win in this contest as well, making it her 23rd victory on the season and 26th complete game. 

The championship bracket play will begin on Thursday, May 1st, in Wingate, NC. The top four seeds were the advancing teams in the tournament, including (1) Wingate, (2), Lenoir-Rhyne, and (4) Carson-Newman. Lincoln Memorial will play in game two, facing Lenoir-Rhyne. The full bracket and games can be found below with more information to be released soon.

Championship Bracket
Day 1 – Thursday, May 1 | Day 2 – Friday, May 2 | Day 3 – Saturday, May 3
at Wingate (Wingate, NC)

Thursday, May 1

Game 1: #1 Wingate vs. #4 Carson-Newman
Game 2: #2 Lenoir-Rhyne vs. #3 Lincoln Memorial

Friday, May 2

Game 3: winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Game 4: loser game 1 vs. loser game 2
Game 5: loser game 3 vs. winner game 4

Saturday, May 3

Game 6: winner game 3 vs. winner game 5
Game 7: winner game 3 vs. winner game 5 (if necessary)