McKENZIE, Tenn. – The Lindsey Wilson softball team closed the road portion of its 2025 schedule on Saturday afternoon at Bethel (Tenn.), falling to the Wildcats 5-4.

The hosts were persistent at the plate as they put forth 14 hits to the Blue Raiders' seven, including eight in the first and second innings to help Bethel to an early 3-0 lead.

Lindsey Wilson, meanwhile, was limited to only two hits over the first five frames.

In the top of the sixth inning, pinch hitter Kendall Dailey led off with a single to shallow center field. Two batters later, Atavya Fowler doubled to the fence, moving pinch runner McKenna Ingram up to third base. A subsequent RBI-single by Sam Hartman put the Blue Raiders on the board, then an infield groundout off the bat of Natalie Wandrie plated Fowler to cut the Wildcats' lead to 3-2.

Brylee Pickerell continued Lindsey Wilson's surge with an RBI-single to the outfield grass, scoring Hartman to tie the game.

The next half-inning, however, Bethel notched a pair of two-out runs to push the Blue Raiders to their final three outs in the top of the seventh.

The visitors found a spark in their last plate appearance, courtesy of a solo home run from Olivia Franceschi, her first of the season and third of her career, but could not find the additional run necessary to extend the game.

Three different pitchers stepped in the circle for the Blue Raiders. Kayden Murray went down as the "pitcher of record" after firing 4.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Lindsey Wilson returns home to Sparks Park next weekend to host Cumberland (Tenn.) in the regular season finale.