Game One Box
Game Two Box

OXFORD, Pa. — Led by the suddenly powerful bat of Shira Miller (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS) (Seattle, Wash., Roosevelt), Lincoln earned its first-ever sweep of a Central Intercollegiate Conference (CIAA) team by defeating Virginia Union in game two of a doubleheader, 10-8.

In the first game, Lincoln won a pitchers' duel, 4-2.

The pair of wins, LU (7-11) surpassed last year's win total of five to establish a new program record.

Taylor Hines (Beachwood, OH/Beachwood) (Beachwood, OH, Beachwood) (6-8) picked up both victories. After a brilliant outing in the game one, she relieved Erin Rucker (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) (Shaker Heights, Shaker Heights) who left after just 1/3 of an inning in the nightcap. Hines got out of a two-on, one-out jam without surrendering a run by striking out one and inducing a roller back to the circle.

But really, Miller's heroics stole what otherwise was Hines' day. She entered the afternoon with no extra-base hit on her résumé, but with LU trailing, 8-7, in game two, the freshman right fielder sprayed a ball down the right field line beyond the defender. Miller joined Sasha Evans (Hampton, VA/Phoebus) (Hampton, VA, Phoebus) and Erika Bell (Owings Mills, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute HS) (Owings Mills, MD, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) at home plate to put Lincoln ahead.

Quickly enveloped by her teammates, who later presented her with the game ball autographed by the team, the sequence highlighted a memorable day for her and the LU softball program.

Miller earlier had an RBI double hit similarly down the right field line to put the Lady Lions up 5-4 in the fourth inning.

“I can't believe it,” she said. “I'm just glad to be a part of it.”

The Lady Lions maintained the edge until a four-run sixth inning by the Lady Panthers seemed potentially deflating. Kara Scott recorded a two-RBI single for the first blow. All runs came with two outs.

The doubleheader also marked LU's Strike Out Cancer Day. They wore pink game shirts and shoelaces. Before the emotional twists of game two, the ladies honored three breast cancer survivors in a pre-game celebration.

The Lady Lions presented Linda Peterson, Kelly Griffith and Georgiana Talley with T-shirts and took photos. The program collected money and sold T-shirts with all proceeds going to breast cancer research and the families of victims impacted by the disease.

Schedule notes:

Lincoln's softball doubleheader versus West Chester has been canceled in place of a twin bill versus Shaw tomorrow at the Oxford Athletic Association at 3 p.m.

Lincoln University and Shaw baseball will also meet tomorrow for a doubleheader. Starting at 1 p.m., the CIAA foes meet on the LU campus.

— LU —