Wingate, NC- LMU fell to the Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne in the opening game of championship bracket play in the SAC Softball Championship 3-5. 

Neither team would see anything come of the first inning, going scoreless into the second. The Bears would strike first, using a pair of errors from Lincoln Memorial to plate two and take the early lead. Gracie Palmer would earn the first hit of the day for the Splitters, singling to right and then advancing to second after a walk would be issued to Anna Kate Reichter in the following at-bat. LMU would come up empty, however, finding themselves down 0-3 after LR would score another in the bottom of the third. The gap would widen after consecutive contact from Lenoir-Rhyne would tag on two more, making it a five-run gap going into the fifth. 

Palmer would get on base again to start the top of the fifth, advancing to third on a throwing error from the third basemen. Reichter's RBI single would cross the first run of the day for Lincoln Memorial. It would be the only one, though, as the Splitters would see their sixth runner left on, still down 0-5. The next few half innings would go by quickly, Couvertiere and LR both adding another hit but coming up empty to take LMU down to their last three outs. Reichter's single would lead things off, advancing and making it two on from an error off of Griffin's contact to make it two on. Jordann Reagan's RBI hit would make it 2-5 and continue the rally. Hannah McMeen would do the same, singling and scoring Griffin, closing the gap to three, and putting the tying run on base. The comeback would come up just short, however, giving LR the advance to play Wingate tomorrow. 

Lincoln Memorial will face off against in-state rival Carson-Newman, who fell to the Bulldogs in game one of the day. They will play the elimination game at 1 PM tomorrow, following the conclusion of LR vs Wingate.