Game One Box
Game Two Box

OXFORD, Pa. – Lincoln University pitcher Taylor Hines (Beachwood, OH/Beachwood) (Beachwood, OH, Beachwood)induced Heather Smith into a pop out to third as LU tied a program record with its fifth win Friday by defeating Elizabeth City State, 5-4, in the first game of a doubleheader at the Oxford Athletic Association.

The harmless fly ball twarted a two-run rally with the tying run on second base.

Lincoln was led by Sharay DuBose (Salisbury, Md./Parkside HS) (Salisbury, MD, Parkside), who went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and an RBI in the game 1 victory. Hines picked up the complete-game win, going seven innings, allowing four runs (none earned) while walking two and striking out two. Her record improves to 4-7.

“I don't think any of us thought this was possible,” Hines said afterward. Hines, who got the win, is one of a few holdovers from last year's squad, and she struggled to put into words how much this drastic turnaround.  “All the work we've done during the offseason has really made a difference.”

In game two, Lincoln fell to ECSU (4-9) by the same score, 5-4.

While Lincoln (5-9) surely wanted its first sweep since joining the Central Collegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the highly competitive and very entertaining games illustrated how far this program has come since the close of last season

For first-year coach Lynsey Grace, the inaugural season has been a special ride.

“They've got the belief, the passion, the heart and the desire,” she said. “It means so much that they belief in each other and they believe in me as their coach. They would've liked to have won both of these games.”

Lincoln nearly pulled out game two in the bottom of the seventh. Chanelle Harris (Philadelphia, PA/Penn Wood) (Philadelphia, PA, Penn Wood) singled to right, scoring Erin Rucker (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) (Shaker Heights, Shaker Heights) from second, but Harris was thrown out trying to advance to second on the throw home, ending the game.

“We're having a lot of fun,” DuBose said. “We're making contact with the ball, we're fielding it and making the throws.”

Rucker took the loss in the night cap, going 3 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (3 earned) while striking out four. Dubose had another double in game two, starting a two-run rally in the sixth that helped Lincoln inch within 4-3 before the Lady Vikings added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.

Lincoln travels to Petersburg, Va. for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. versus Virginia State

— LU —