ST. CHARLES, Mo. -  The Lindenwood Softball team (10-11, 2-1 OVC) went to extra innings for the second time in the series with the UT Martin Skyhawks on Sunday afternoon, and completed the series with a win on a walk off double down the right field line by Anna Sanders in the bottom of the eighth inning. Senior Pitcher Ryleigh Owens picked up the win in the circle as she threw 3.2 innings out of the bullpen and allowed three hits on one walk and one strikeout to earn her third win of the 2026 season. Avery Wapp started the game for the Lions and struck out a season-high nine batters over 4.1 innings pitched in the contest. 

After Wapp recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, the bats came to life in the bottom of the inning as the Lions put up two runs on three hits. Madisen Noll led off the inning with a single through the left side of the infield, and Anna Sanders walked the next at bat to put pressure on the Skyhawks defense. Tori Hatton then singled to the second baseman that brought home Noll, and was followed by Kylee Crowder's RBI double that scored Sanders. The Lions added on to their lead in the bottom of the third behind Emily Geary's two run home run over the right field fence for her second home run of the weekend to make it a 4-0 game after three innings of play. Wapp continued to limit UTM through the first four innings of the game, as she struck out seven batters over the second, third, and fourth innings to keep the lead in tact for Lindenwood. 

However, in the top of the fifth inning, the Skyhawks rallied back and scored six runs on five hits to take a 6-4 lead. Owens entered in the bottom of the fifth with one out, and the defense kept the deficit at two as they turned a 6-1-2 double play to end the top of the fifth. Lindenwood eventually took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth behind a two-run double from Noll that evened the score at six, followed by an RBI single from Sanders that gave Lindenwood a 7-6 lead with one inning to go.

With UT Martin down to their final out in the top of the seventh, the Skyhawks would tie the game at seven on an RBI triple. The Lions went 1-2-3 in last half of the seventh and the game headed to extras for the second time in the series. In the top of the eighth, UTM recorded back-to-back singles with two outs, but the Lions were able to get out of it as Owens fielded a ground ball that was hit back at her and got the forceout at third. Similar to UTM, the Lions were able to get on base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth after an error was recorded by the UT Martin defense. Madisen Noll followed the error with a walk, and Anna Sanders ended the game on a walk-off double down the right field line to seal the victory for Lindenwood. 

The Lions will stay at home for their first mid week matchup of the season on Wednesday afternoon as they will host the University of Minnesota. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.