Lincoln softball got off to a great start in the NEO Classic on Thursday, as the Bulldogs beat Bishop Kelley 7-2 and Crossings Christian 8-3.

The Bulldogs co-host the annual event with Verdirgis and have put themselves in good shape heading into the remainder of pool play on Friday and for potential championship play on Saturday.

"I felt like our team felt super loose today," said junior pitcher Maddi Stewart. "It felt like everyone was having fun."

Stewart, who has started 15 of the 18 games for Lincoln this season in the circle, also spoke about the team's focus coming into the tournament.

"That being said, I also felt like we were still very focused on the goal we had in mind," she said. "When you mix that with the upbeat, lighthearted attitude we had, it allowed us to play freely in all of our positions."

Lincoln will face Newcastle tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the final game of pool play before the tournament portion begins on Saturday.

LINCOLN 7, BISHOP KELLEY 2
Lincoln jumped out to an early lead and pulled away late with some timely hitting and a great pitching duo.

The Bulldogs led 2-0 after an inning and 3-2 through two frames, after the Comets inched closer.

But two runs in the 3rd and two more in the 4th gave the Bulldogs, and their pitchers, some breathing room down the stretch.

Stewart got the start and picked up the win for Lincoln, going three innings and allowing just one hit and one earned run. She walked two and struck out two.

Haylee Delozier entered for Stewart in relief in the 4th and worked two shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk.

Addison Whitmire was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Lincoln in the win. Kabry Kiger was also 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Sophia Nantz also had an RBI single for the Bulldogs in the victory.

Whitmire singled to score Stewart and Sophie Ellis to open scoring in the 1st.

The Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead after Bryleigh Milligan bunted and reached via error in the top of the 2nd, allowing Delozier to score.

Nantz singled to score Whitmire in the top of the 4th to make it 4-2, followed by Kiger touching home plate on a wild pitch to stretch the lead to three.

Brooklyn Malone bunted in the top of the 4th to reach on an error, allowing Whitmire and Kiger to come around on the same error and push the lead to 7-2.

LINCOLN 8, CROSSINGS 3
A huge 2nd inning allowed Lincoln to pull well in front of Crossings, while the Bulldogs relied again on the same pitching duo to keep the Knights at bay.

Lincoln scored six runs in the bottom of the 2nd, breaking a 1-1 tie, to take control of the game, while Stewart and Delozier combined to allow just two hits and no earned runs on the day.

Stewart again got the start, going three innings and allowing just one hit and on unearned run. Delozier again entered in the 4th and allowed just one hit and two unearned runs.

Whitmire had another good game for the Bulldogs, going 2-for-3 again with a double and two RBIs.

Milligan had an RBI double, while Campbell Ryan and Kiger each had a single and two RBIs in the win.

Stewart also drove in a run for the Bulldogs.

Whitmire opened the scoring again for Lincoln, doubling on a line drive to left to score Stewart, who reached on a single.

After Crossings tied the game at 1-1, the Bulldogs got to work in the 2nd.

Malone walked and Jade Summerlin singled to start the inning for Lincoln.

After Nantz singled to load the bases, Stewart was hit by a pitch to drive in the go-ahead run before Ryan singled to score Nantz and Milligan, making it 4-1.

Whitmire followed with another hard hit ball to left, as the senior scored Leah Moore on the RBI single to push the lead to four.

Kiger kept the line moving in the next at bat with a 2-run single of her own, dropping a fly ball into center to score Woodruff and Whitmire.

All of a sudden, the lead was 7-1.

The Bulldogs added another run in the 3rd, as Milligan doubled on a liner to left, scoring Summerlin who was hit by a pitch.

Crossings added a run in the 4th and the 5th but never threatened the Bulldogs' comfy lead.