Game one box
Game two box

 OXFORD, Pa. (March 19, 2011) — Freshman third baseman Mariah Coates (Reading, Pa./Reading HS) blasted her first-career home run in the bottom of the fifth inning Saturday afternoon at the Oxford Athletic Association.

The bomb easily soared beyond the left fielder as the speedy Coates, who also plays soccer, plated home uncontested.

“I didn't think it was going to be a homer at first,” she said. “I thought at best it would be a triple. I just kept pumping.”

Coates' moment was easily the highlight for the Lady Lions, who were swept by Virginia State (11-10, 7-3 CIAA), 9-1 and 14-2.

The bomb is another representation of a more potent Lincoln lineup.

She became the third Lincoln player to hit a four-bagger in just the season's second week. The Lady Lions now have four this season. Avree Morton (Uniondale, N.Y./Holy Trinity HS) has two and Erin Rucker (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) has one.

By contrast during the entire 2010 season, LU (2-8, 2-6 CIAA) totaled just two home runs by two players, one by Nina Cook and the other by Shira Miller (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS).

“If we had a fence, that would've been gone easily,” second-year head coach Lynsey Grace said.

In the first game, the Lady Trojans scored one in the first and four in the third to take control. For LU, Mariah Liberty (Waterbury, Vt./Harwood Union HS) recorded two of the Lady Lions' six hits including a double. Erin Rucker (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights HS) took the complete-game loss, surrendering all nine runs but only one was earned as the defense committed eight errors behind her.

In the second game, VSU scored eight runs over the first two innings. Lincoln's first run came on an RBI single plating Coates, who had walked and stole second to get into scoring position.

Up Next 

Lincoln travels to Pike Creek, Del, to make-up a doubleheader against Goldey-Beacom College. It begins at 3 p.m. on March 22.