COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson softball team split their Friday afternoon doubleheader at Spark Park against Union (Ky.). The Bulldogs (17-25) upset the No. 15-ranked Blue Raiders (32-12) 12-5 in the opener before LWC bounced back with a 9-5 win.

Mikayla Marquez went 4-for-7 at the plate across the two contests with one triple and three singles. Desiree Chang was also effective at the plate going 3-for-8. Kylie Brown and Ellie Derrick each collected a home run on the afternoon.

GAME 1: LWC 5, UC 12

Lindsey Wilson miscues early in the contest and saw the Blue Raiders help Union to a 2-0 lead after 2-1/2 innings. LWC allows three Bulldog hits in the first inning and a run while coughing up two errors in the third to fall behind.

The Blue Raiders trimmed their deficit to one run during the bottom half of the third. Lexi Isable proved to be the Blue Raiders first base runner and later scored after reaching base on a walk. A Zakiya Sizemore single up the middle marked the first hit for LWC and drove in Isable from second base.

Union tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning, making use of three hits to push their lead to 5-1.

Lindsey Wilson cashed in on two runs in the bottom half of the inning to trim their deficit to two. Isable recorded her second single of the afternoon before two triples, by Brianna Griffiths and Marquez, drove in two runs.

Union and Lindsey Wilson each managed two more runs in the sixth inning. Union made use of three hits to push their lead back to four runs. The Blue Raiders used a Chang singles and a Brown home run to trail by two runs entering the final inning.

The Bulldogs pushed home five runs in the seventh inning to take the game 12-5. Union outhit Lindsey Wilson 14-7 for the contest.

GAME 2: LWC 9, UC 5

In game two, Lindsey Wilson found a rhythm, jumping out to a quick lead after the first inning. Marquez led off with a single before advancing to third base on a stolen base and a wild pitch. Kaluau then reached base on a walk and advanced into scoring position on a stolen base.

Chang managed an RBI single to drive in the game's first run before an Isable sacrifice fly drove in Kaluau for the 2-0 lead.

Union responded in the second inning, pushing home one run on two hits before leveling the score in the third inning with another run on one hit.

Lindsey Wilson pushed home three runs in the third inning to take the lead for good. Brown and Isable led off the inning with singles before a Kelsey Bostock sac fly to deep right-center field scored Brown. Griffiths then reached on a fielders choice to put runners on the corners.

A Jordan Balz single to third base would drive in the inning's second run as Balz began a rundown between first and second that allowed Griffiths to steal home, pushing the LWC lead to 5-2.

Lindsey Wilson exploded in the fourth inning for four runs on three hits and one Union error. Marquez led off the inning with a single before stealing second and scoring on a Chang double off the left center field wall. Chang later scored on an error by the Bulldogs pitcher when Isable stole second base after reaching on a walk. Derrick drove in the final two runs of the inning with her team-leading ninth home run of the season.

Union pushed home three runs in the seventh inning but never threatened the Blue Raiders commanding lead.

Olivia Franceschi (7-3) picked up the win in the center circle for LWC. She pitched all seven innings allowing nine hits and five runs while striking out one.

Tomorrow, Lindsey Wilson returns to Sparks Park at 1 p.m. CT for a doubleheader matchup with No. 15 Georgia Gwinnett. The contest is the final regular-season contest for the Blue Raiders.