For the second straight Saturday, the Effingham Hearts received outstanding starting pitching during an Apollo Conference doubleheader.

Unfortunately, this time, Lincoln’s was just a little better.

Starters Wyatt Mammen and Andrew Graue both allowed just one hit during their innings of work and Trent Koehler came in to slam the door in both games, helping the Railsplitters sweep the DH at home.

Lincoln won the opener 2-1 and then completed the sweep with a 4-1 win in the nightcap.

Effingham got very good outings from Josh McDevitt in the first game and Brayden Pals in the second, but the Hearts bats just couldn’t produce enough offense, having a total of five hits in the two games combined.

In the opener, the Railsplitters scored two unearned runs in the fourth after the Hearts had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the inning. Lincoln got a walk, a base hit and an error to load the bases with just one out. The first run scored on a ground out and the second came home on an RBI single by Jaden Leadley.

Effingham had only one hit in the game – a two-out single by Gauge Massey in the fifth. The Hearts scored their only tally in the fourth without a hit. Joe Matteson walked with one out. Evan Waymoth and Massey were both hit by a pitch to load the bases. John Harper then also walked to force in the run.

In the sixth, with one out, Quest Hull walked and Max Hardiek was hit by a pitch to give the Hearts a good chance to tie the game or even take the lead. But Koehler came in and struck out the final two batters to end the threat and then retired the side in order in the seventh to get the first of his two saves Saturday.

Mammen worked 5.1 innings, allowing just one hit and one earned run, while walking three and striking out 11. McDevitt went 5.2 innings and gave up three hits and two unearned runs. He walked two and struck out 12.

The Hearts also took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of the nightcap – again without a hit. Camden Raddatz drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on an error.

Lincoln took the lead in the fourth on a two-run double by Alex Hoffert and then combined four hits for two more runs in the fifth.

EHS had just four hits in the second game. Kaiden Nichols and Massey started the contest with back-to-back singles. Matteson had a lead-off double in the fifth and Myles Maxedon had a one-out double in the seventh.

Graue went four innings, giving up two hits and a run, while walking two and striking out five. Koehler worked the final three shutout innings, giving up just two hits and striking out five. Pals worked all six innings. He allowed six hits and four runs, while walking two and fanning eight.

The Hearts dropped to 9-8 overall and 3-5 in the Apollo Conference. They will return home Wednesday to play South Central.