TAMUC – Sports

 

MEN’S GOLF

 

Lion men finish ninth at Regional Preview.

AMARILLO – The 16th-ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s golf team finished in a tie for ninth place in the 23-team field at the West/South Central Regional Preview on Tuesday.

The Lions shot a 297 on Tuesday to complete the tournament at 590 (293-297, +22), tied with Western New Mexico in a highly competitive field.

Lucas McCubbin picked up his fifth top 10 finish of the season in six events with a score of 143 (71-72, +1), tying him for ninth place in the 120-player field. He had two birdies in Tuesday’s action.

Zach Burch and Blake Hartford tied for 32nd on the leaderboard at 148 (+6). Both players had four birdies in Tuesday’s round.

Wilfredo Sanchez tied for 62nd at 151 (75-76, +9) and Garrett Landers tied for 97th at 156 (76-80, +14), with each plater carding two birdies on the day.

The Lions return to action next Monday and Tuesday, hosting the Lion Invitational at Tanglewood Resort on the shores of Lake Texoma in Pottsboro.

Rank	Team	Scores		Total	Par
1.	Colorado-Colorado Springs	282	292	574	+6
2.	Chico State	297	278	575	+7
3.	Holy Names	291	285	576	+8
4.	Oklahoma Christian	286	294	580	+12
5.	Arkansas-Fort Smith	288	295	583	+15
	St. Mary’s	290	293	583	+15
7.	Colorado Christian	286	298	584	+16
8.	West Texas A&M	300	285	585	+17
9.	A&M-Commerce	293	297	590	+22
	Western New Mexico	299	291	590	+22
11.	Rogers State	292	300	592	+24
12.	Midwestern State	303	291	594	+26
13.	Colorado Mesa	302	295	597	+29
	Colorado School of Mines	299	298	597	+29
15.	Cal State East Bay	302	297	599	+31
16.	Texas A&M International	302	298	600	+32
17.	UT Permian Basin	304	297	601	+33
18.	Colorado State-Pueblo	309	294	603	+35
19.	Cameron	301	303	604	+36
	Fort Lewis	304	300	604	+36
21.	Lubbock Christian	306	304	610	+42
22.	Dallas Baptist	307	306	613	+45
23.	St. Edward’s	313	312	625	+57

A&M-Commerce	293	297	590	+22	t-9th
Lucas McCubbin	71	72	143	+1	t-9th
Zach Burch	72	76	148	+6	t-32nd
Blake Hartford	75	73	148	+6	t-32nd
Wilfredo Sanchez	75	76	151	+9	t-62nd
Garrett Landers	76	80	156	+14	t-97th

 

WOMEN’S GOLF

Lion women finish ninth at Midwestern State Invitational.

WICHITA FALLS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golf team completed the Midwestern State Invitational in ninth place in the 19-team field Tuesday.

The Lions shot a 327 on Tuesday to complete the tournament at 651 (324-327, +75), tied with Newman for ninth. Arkansas Tech won the competition at 624 (+48)

Sophie-Charlott Hempel was the Lions’ top finisher in 17th place at 159 (80-79, +15), dropping one stroke from her first round score.

Lauren Leslie and Paige-Lee Garris each finished in a tie for 35th on the individual leaderboard at 163 (+19). Leslie and Garris each shot 81-82 in the tournament.

Makena Thomas shot 166 for the tournament to place 47th and Lauren Bentley shot 171 to place 71st.

The Lions now have one more spring tournament before the Lone Star Conference Championship. The A&M-Commerce women next hit the links on April 2-3 at the Henderson State Spring Invitational in Mountain Home, Ark.

Rank	Team	Scores		Total	Par
1.	Arkansas Tech	311	313	624	+48
2.	Midwestern State	315	315	630	+54
3.	Henderson State	324	308	632	+56
	West Texas A&M	320	312	632	+56
5.	Rogers State	313	321	634	+58
6.	Colorado State-Pueblo	320	324	644	+68
7.	Texas Wesleyan	316	329	645	+69
8.	Oklahoma Christian	323	324	647	+71
9.	A&M-Commerce	324	327	651	+75
	Newman	318	333	651	+75
11.	Metro State	330	331	661	+85
12.	Angelo State	335	329	664	+88
13.	Cameron	333	333	666	+90
14.	Western Texas College	339	332	671	+95
15.	Southern Nazarene	341	333	674	+98
16.	Western New Mexico	341	334	675	+99
17.	Regis	335	346	681	+105
18.	Rend Lake College	399	389	788	+212
	Oklahoma Panhandle State	dnc	dnc	DNF

A&M-Commerce	324	327	651	+75	t-9th
Sophie-Charlott Hempel	80	79	159	+15	t-17th
Paige-Lee Garris	81	82	163	+19	t-35th
Lauren Leslie	81	82	163	+19	t-35th
Makena Thomas	82	84	166	+22	t-47th
Lauren Bentley	83	88	171	+27	t-71st

MEN’S GOLF

Lion men in eighth after first round of Regional Preview.

AMARILLO – The 16th-ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s golf team shot its lowest round of the spring in the opening round of the West/South Central Regional Preview and sit in eighth place.

The Lions shot a 294 (+10) on the par 71 course, 12 strokes off of the lead.

Zach Burch and Lucas McCubbin are tied for 15th on the leaderboard at 1-over par 72. Burch had four birdies on the day, while McCubbin had one of the round’s most consistent shots with a birdie, two bogeys, and 15 pars. His score may go lower on Tuesday morning after a scorecard review.

Blake Hartford and Wilfredo Sanchez tied for 43rd at 4-over par 75. Hartford had two birdies, while Sanchez had four. Garrett Landers tied for 58th at 5-over par 76. In an up and down round, he eagled the par five sixth hole and had four other birdies.

Colorado-Colorado Springs leads the tournament at 282 (-2). The Lions are the top Lone Star Conference team in the field.

The tournament concludes on Tuesday with Lion tee times beginning at 9:40 a.m.

Rank	Team	Total	Par
1.	Colorado-Colorado Springs	282	-2
2.	Colorado Christian	286	+2
	Oklahoma Christian	286	+2
4.	Arkansas-Fort Smith	288	+4
5.	St. Mary’s	290	+6
6.	Holy Names	291	+7
7.	Rogers State	292	+8
8.	A&M-Commerce	294	+10
9.	Chico State	297	+13
10.	Colorado School of Mines	299	+15
	Western New Mexico	299	+15
12.	West Texas A&M	300	+16
13.	Cameron	301	+17
14.	Cal State East Bay	302	+18
	Colorado Mesa	302	+18
	Texas A&M International	302	+18
17.	Midwestern State	303	+19
18.	Fort Lewis	304	+20
	UT Permian Basin	304	+20
20.	Lubbock Christian	306	+22
21.	Dallas Baptist	307	+23
22.	Colorado State-Pueblo	309	+25
23.	St. Edward’s	313	+29

A&M-Commerce	294	+10	8th
Zach Burch	72	+1	t-15th
Lucas McCubbin	72	+1	t-15th
Blake Hartford	75	+4	t-43rd
Wilfredo Sanchez	75	+4	t-43rd
Garrett Landers	76	+5	t-58th

 

WOMEN’S GOLF

Lion women tied for ninth after opening round of Midwestern State Invitational.

WICHITA FALLS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golf team opened the Midwestern State Invitational with its second-best round of the spring season on Monday.

The Lions shot a 324 (+36) and tied for ninth place in the field with Henderson State.

Sophie-Charlott Hempel leads the Lions after the opening 18 holes with an 8-over par 80, including a birdie on the par-4 fifth hole. She tied for 23rd on the individual leaderboard.

Paige-Lee Garris and Lauren Leslie are tied for 32nd on the leaderboard at 9-over par 81. Makena Thomas tied for 38th at 10-over par 82, and Lauren Bentley rounds out the Lion contingent at 11-over par 83.

The team standings are packed tightly, as A&M-Commerce is only six strokes out of the top five. Arkansas Tech leads 311 in the field.

The tournament concludes on Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.

Rank	Team	Total	Par
1.	Arkansas Tech	311	+23
2.	Rogers State	313	+25
3.	Midwestern State	315	+27
4.	Texas Wesleyan	316	+28
5.	Newman	318	+30
6.	Colorado State-Pueblo	320	+32
	West Texas A&M	320	+32
8.	Oklahoma Christian	323	+35
9.	A&M-Commerce	324	+36
	Henderson State	324	+36
11.	Metro State	330	+42
12.	Cameron	333	+45
13.	Angelo State	335	+47
	Regis	335	+47
15.	Western Texas College	339	+51
16.	Southern Nazarene	341	+53
	Western New Mexico	341	+53
18.	Rend Lake College	389	+101
	Oklahoma Panhandle State	DNF

A&M-Commerce	324	+36	t-9th
Sophie-Charlott Hempel	80	+8	t-23rd
Paige-Lee Garris	81	+9	t-32nd
Lauren Leslie	81	+9	t-32nd
Makena Thomas	82	+10	t-38th
Lauren Bentley	83	+11	t-52nd

 

SOFTBALL

No. 11 Lions sweep Missouri Western State in two 5-inning games.

COMMERCE– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team picked up two wins against Missouri Western State on Monday. The Lions defeated the Griffins 10-2 in the first game and 12-1 in the second game. Both games completed in five innings.

The wins bring the Lions to 19-3 on the season. MWSU falls to 6-15 on the year.

The Lions return to action on Wednesday on the road against St. Edward’s. The teams will complete the halted game the two played on Feb. 7 before playing the doubleheader matchup. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at Noon at Diane Daniels Field in Austin.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
– Bri Sims had two hits and drove in four runs.
– Mariah Jameyson hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, her ninth of the year. She had three RBIs in the game.
– Baylea Higgs and Ciera Nunez also had hits, and both stole two bases.
– Nunez, Higgs, and Kinsie Hebler both scored two runs. Chloe Horne, Vanessa Muro, and Allie Thompson also scored runs.
– Muro, Jodie Hill, and Kimber Neal also had RBIs. Kayla Kilcrease also had a stolen base.
– Selena Rima pitched a complete five innings and struck out three batters and had ten groundouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
After a leadoff double, Rima settled in to force three groundouts to get out of the first inning. The Lions then got on the board. Nunez and Higgs both had singles and steals. After a walk loaded the bases, Jameyson drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. After another base on balls, Sims came to the plate and hit a double to the left center, scoring two more runs. Two more walks with the bases loaded scored two more runners, and the Lions held a 5-0 lead after one inning.

The Griffins scored a run in the top of the second. A walk and two singles loaded the bases with two outs. Another single drove in a run, and the Lions led 5-1. The Lions were scoreless in the second and third innings.

A solo home run for the Griffins in the fourth brought the Lion lead to three entering the bottom of the inning. The Lions responded with two runs of their own. Hebler drew a walk and then Jameyson homered over the center field fence, clearing the scoreboard to bring the Lion lead to 7-2 after four innings.

After a quick top of the fifth that had three consecutive groundouts, the Lions ended the game early with three more runs. Nunez and Higgs both singled and stole bases. Muro then had a groundout that scored a run. Sims then came to the plate and hit a single to center, scoring two runs to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
– Vanessa Muro had two hits, two runs scored and three RBIs.
– Bri Sims hit a two-run home run in the second inning.
– Jodie Hill hit a solo home run in the second inning. She also had a two-RBI single.
– Mariah Jameyson had two hits, two runs scored, a stolen base and two RBIs.
– Baylea Higgs had two hits, two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI.
– Ciera Nunez scored two runs and had a stolen base and a single.
– Precious Thompson had a stolen base, and a runner came across home plate. Monica Cherry also scored a run.
– Emily Otto came in relief and picked up the win, pitching 3.2 innings and punching out five batters against only one walk.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
The Lions bat around in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs. Nunez reached on a walk, and Higgs had a single. Precious Thompson had a steal as a pinch runner, and then Jameyson came to the plate and hit a single to drive in the first run of the game. Muro hit a sacrifice fly to score another run and Jameyson came around on a wild pitch to give the Lions a 3-0 lead after one inning.

The Griffins scored their lone run in the top of the second inning. A walk and two singles brought a run across. Otto then came into the game and struck out two batters with the bases loaded to get the Lions out of the jam.

The Lion bats continued to be on fire in the bottom of the inning as the team batted around the lineup once again. Nunez singled and advanced on an errant throw. Higgs then singled to score Nunez. Higgs scored on the double from Jameyson. Muro hit a single to score another run before Sims hit a two-run homer. Hill also had a home run in the inning, and the Lions held a 9-1 lead after two complete innings.

Otto had two more strikeouts in the third inning, and the Lions brought three more runs across in the third. Higgs and Jameyson both walked, and Muro hit an RBI single to score another run. Hill then hit a single to right that scored two more runners, and the Lions held a 12-1 lead after three.

Otto continued to impress in the circle for the next two innings, striking out another in the fourth and punching out three more in the fifth inning. The Lions left with the 12-1 win.

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Brianna Wise named First Team All-Region by D2CCA.

COMMERCE– Texas A&M University-Commerce senior Brianna Wise has been named First Team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. The award was announced Monday by the D2CCA.

Wise– a senior from Desoto– was a scoring threat night in and night out for the Lions and was a jack-of-all-trades on the defensive end. She was named First Team All-Conference, the first Lion to receive the award since 2014 and the eighth player in history to win the title. She also made the LSC All-Tournament team, the first player to earn the distinction since 2009. During the LSC Tournament, Wise averaged 26.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. She is the first player to be named All-Region since Britney Jordan received the award in 2009.

Wise played in all 30 games for the Lions, taking on the role as sixth-man for much of the season. She finished the regular season as the second-leading scorer in the conference, averaging 16.4 points per game. She upped her average to 18.0 points per game in conference games, which tied for the best in the league. She was named LSC Offensive Player of the Week three times during the season, the only player in the league to do so. She had 14 games with 20 points or more and scored in double figures in 22 different games, including a career-high 30 against Eastern New Mexico, where she set a school record with 19 free throws made.

Wise shot 41 percent from the field, 37 percent from three and 79 percent from the free throw line. She got to the line 19 times during the season and made 172 free throws, which was the seventh most in Division II this season and the second most in a single season in program history. She was second on the team with 66 assists and 181 rebounds as well. Wise was also active on the defensive end, leading the team with 22 blocks and also capturing 38 steals. She finished in the top 10 in the LSC in blocks and the top 20 in steals.

2017-18 D2CCA NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball South Central Regional Team
First Team
Tess Bruffey, Lubbock Christian, (F, Sr., Lubbock, Texas)
Addy Clift, Oklahoma Christian (G, Jr., Kiowa, Okla.)
Marquita Daniels, Angelo State (G, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.)
Molly Rohrer, CSU-Pueblo (C, Jr., Greenwood Village, Colo.)
Brianna Wise, A&M-Commerce (F, Sr., Desoto, Texas)

Second Team
Vivian Gray, Fort Lewis (F, Fr., Argyle, Texas)
Jamie Bonnarens, Cameron (F, So., Cache, Okla.)
Lexy Hightower, West Texas A&M (G, So., Amarillo, Texas)
Tayla Taylor, Arkansas-Fort Smith (F, Sr., Marlin, Texas)
*Katie Cunningham, CSU-Pueblo (G, Sr., Aurora, Colo.)
*De’Anira Moore, Angelo State (F, So., Allen, Texas)
*Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton State (F, So., Burleson, Texas)
* Not broken were ties for the second-team.

South Central Regional Player of the Year
Tess Bruffey, Lubbock Christian

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Reggie Reid named Second Team All-Region by D2CCA.

COMMERCE– Texas A&M University-Commerce junior Reggie Reid has been named Second Team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association. The award was announced Monday by the D2CCA.

Reid– a junior from Harlem, Ga.– helped the Lions to their first NCAA Regional tournament win in 13 years in his first year with the Lions. He was named First Team All-Lone Star Conference as well as Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year. He also made the All-LSC Tournament team after averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the LSC Tournament. Reid is the first player to be named All-Region since 2015. He was the sixth player in school history to be named Newcomer of the Year.

Reid led the Lions and was fifth in the LSC in scoring, netting 16.3 points per contest. He was also a top assister in the conference, averaging 4.2 dimes per game, which was fifth in the conference. Reid shot 43 percent from the field during the season and 77 from the foul line. Reid led the team in scoring, assists, steals and minutes and was third in rebounding.

2017-18 D2CCA NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball South Central Regional Team
First Team
Daeshon Francis, UT Permian Basin (G, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.)
David Chavlovich, West Texas A&M (G, Sr., Arlington, Texas)
DaVaunta Thomas, Arkansas-Fort Smith (G, Sr., Tulsa, Okla.)
Landon Goesling, St. Edward’s (G, Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.)
Dayon Goodman, Westminster (Utah) (F, Sr., Salt Lake City, Utah)

Second Team
Ryan Quaid, West Texas A&M (F, Jr., Fort Collins, Colo.)
Sammy Allen, UT Permian Basin (F, Sr., Oakland, Calif.)
Dexter Sienko, Regis (F, Sr., Spokane, Wash.)
Brandon Sly, Adams State (G, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.)
*Reggie Reid, Texas A&M-Commerce (G, Jr., Harlem, Ga.)
*Brennen Fowler, Lubbock Christian (F, Jr., Smyer, Texas)
* Not broken were ties for the second-team.

South Central Regional Player of the Year
Daeshon Francis, UT Permian Basin

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Lions’ postseason run ends with 93-70 loss to West Texas A&M in the regional semifinal.

CANYON – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball team’s season concluded at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Semifinal. The Lions fell to West Texas A&M, 93-70.

The Lions’ season ends at 22-9 in their first season under head coach Jaret von Rosenberg.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Willie Rooks led the Lion scorers with 20 points.
– Reggie Reid scored 15 points and passed out a team-best five assists.
– The Lions shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53) from the field, with a 38.5 percent (10-of-26) rate from three-point range. A&M-Commerce made 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) of its free throws.
– West Texas A&M shot 50.9 percent (28-of-55) from the field, including a 59.3 percent (16-of-27) rate in the second half.
– Dorian Armstrong, Trey Conrod, and Aaron Horne each scored seven points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half of the contest went back and forth between the two familiar rivals, with neither squad able to extend a lead of more than two possessions at any point in the frame.

Both teams hit three-pointers for their opening scores, and Conrod scored the Lions’ opening six points. Gaige Prim took control for the Buffs for a six-minute period, scoring eight straight WT points. The hosts led by four at 12-8 with 14:55 left in the frame.

The Lions responded with a 10-2 run, holding WT without a field goal for nearly five minutes. A Rooks triple kickstarted the surge, and Reid’s trey with 11 minutes to play in half pushed the Lions out to an 18-14 advantage

WT’s Gach Gach tied the game at 22-all with a three-pointer at the 7:27 mark and the hosts outscored the Lions 11-6 in the final two media breaks. They tied the game with 3:22 left in half at 28-all on a Joseph Williams-Powell jumper, but the Lions failed to score again in the period. West Texas scored the final five points in the half to take a 33-28 lead into the dressing room.

The Lions shot 45.8 percent (11-of-24) in half, making 4-of-12 three-pointers (33.3 percent), but only 2-of-5 (40.0 percent) of their free throw opportunities. West Texas A&M had a 20-12 rebounding edge and converted six offensive rebounds into seven-second chance points. The Lions also held David Chavlovich – the Lone Star Conference’s all-time leading scorer – without a basket in the opening 20 minutes.

The Buffs raced out to a double-digit lead in the first two and a half minutes of the second half, going up 41-31. The Lions used three straight three-pointers by Horne, Rooks, and Armstrong to cut the lead back down to four points at 44-40 with 15:50 to play.

Unfortunately for the Lions, a long streak without a two-point basket allowed the Buffs to run out to a commanding lead. WT went on a 21-6 run over a four-minute span and suddenly led 65-46 with 11 minutes remaining.

The Lions were unable to cut that advantage to any fewer than 17 points in the remainder of the contest.

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Lions defeat Fort Lewis 78-62 to earn first NCAA Tournament win since 2005.

CANYON – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball team defeated Fort Lewis College 78-62 in the first round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional tournament on Saturday. The Lions built a lead early in the game and did not relent for the rest of the contest.

The win brings the Lions to 22-8 on the season, and they continue to the second round of the regional tournament. The Skyhawks fall to 24-7 on the year, and that eliminated them from tournament play.

The Lions return to action Sunday night to face regional host and first-seed West Texas A&M. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– The Lions defense caused 20 Fort Lewis turnovers and converted them into 33 points. The Lions had just eight turnovers in the game.
– Willie Rooks co-led the Lions with 15 points, and he added a team-high five assists without a turnover.
– Joseph Williams-Powell also had 15 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the field.
– Trey Conrod had 14 points and led the team with four steals.
– Dorian Armstrong scored 10 points. Daquane Willford had five points and four steals.
– It is the Lions’ first NCAA playoff win since the 2004-05 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Skyhawks started the game hot, hitting four early shots, including two from beyond the arc. The Lions fell behind by seven but began to find their rhythm. Horne hit an initial three and Reid and Conrod both hit jumpers inside the paint to get the scoring started. A technical foul assessed to Fort Lewis helped the Lions get back in the game as they hit both free throws to tie the game at ten after five minutes of action.

The Lions hit back-to-back threes to take their first lead of the game at the 13-minute mark of the half. A triple from Williams-Powell followed Rooks’ three. Budimir also hit a three as the Lions pushed their lead to five. Midway through the half, the Lions led by three.

Conrod hit consecutive buckets, including another three to push the Lion lead back up. The Skyhawks also continued to shoot well from the field, not letting the Lions pull away.

Conrod continued to play tight on both ends. He hit a shot in the paint on one end and then drew a charge on the other end. Rooks hit a jumper to bring the Lion lead to nine points with six minutes to play. After FLC cut Lion’s lead back to six points, Rooks hit a three, and Armstrong’s triple followed. The Lions took their largest lead of the half, a 38-26 lead with five minutes left.

FLC cut the Lion lead back down to eight before Williams-Powell hit two buckets in a row, including a rebound slam dunk. The Lions went scoreless for the final 2:42 of the half and the Skyhawks scored the final five points of the half. A&M-Commerce took a 42-35 lead into halftime.

Rooks led the Lions with 10 points, hitting two threes. Conrod had nine points, hitting four of six from the field. Williams-Powell also had nine points. The Lions shot seven threes in the first half and had just two turnovers. The Lions turned eight FLC turnovers into 14 points.

Both teams shot well in the first half. The Skyhawks shot 48 percent while the Lions shot 46 percent. FLC got to the free throw line 12 times in the first half while the Lions shot six free throws.

Conrod hit a three coming out of the half and also had a step back jumper to bring the Lion again back up to double digits and a lead. Conrod then had a steal and Rooks was able to get a layup on the other end to bring the Lion lead to 13 points just three minutes into the second half.

The Lions continued to execute well on offense, making the extra pass to find the open man. Armstrong found space for a three and Willford also hit a three. Two free throws from Aaron Horne gave the Lions a 20-point lead with 10 minutes left in the game.

The Lions did not let off the pressure for the remainder of the game and did not allow Fort Lewis any opportunity to climb back into the game. The Lions continued to play sound basketball and to limit turnovers and won the game by 16.

 

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Steele and 4×400 relay claim National Championships to push Lion men to fifth at NCAA Championships; Lion women are 29th.

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce, indoor track, and field teams saw two entries claim National Championships as the Lion men claimed fifth place in the team standings and the Lion women placed 29th at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday.

The fifth place finishes for the Lion men is the program’s highest-ever placement at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Senior DeVontae Steele claimed his second Division II Championship in the triple jump, while the 4×400 meter relay team of Jude Christine, Dedrian Windham, D’lance Sharp, and Rashard Clark won the national title with one of the fastest times in Division II history.

Steele set a school record and the 12th-longest triple jump in Division II history on his final attempt, leaping 16.25 meters (53-3 ¾). It is Steele’s second Division II National Championship, both at Pittsburg State.

The men’s relay team of Christine, Windham, Sharp, and Clark blazed around the Plaster Center track in 3:08.77, winning the National Championship by nearly two seconds. The quick time gives the Lions the third-best mark in Division II history.

Windham also earned first-team All-American honors in the 400-meter dash, with a time of 47.19 seconds for third place. Clark won the first team All-American honors in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.41 seconds for sixth place.

Florian Obst earned the second team All-American honors with an 11th-place finish in the heptathlon, recovering strongly from a spill in the 60-meter hurdles. He cleared 5.00 meters in the pole vault and had a personal best of 2:46.84 in the 1,000-meter run, claiming a final point total of 4,937 points.

The Lions’ 29 team points placed them fifth in the team standings. Pittsburg State claimed the national title on its home track with a score of 49, one point ahead of Tiffin’s 48 points.

The women’s 4×400 meter relay team of Minna Svaerd, Ro’Nisha Simpson, Joy Spann, and Kamryn McKee set a new school record with their fifth place finish of 3:44.60.

McKee’s time of 55.50 in the 400-meter dash placed her sixth, which was good for first-team All-American honors.

 

SOFTBALL

No. 11 Lion offense shines in both wins; Lions take series against Midwestern State.

WICHITA FALLS– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team picked up two wins against conference-rival Midwestern State on Saturday. The Lions won the first game 10-1 in six innings and the second game 9-1 in six innings.

The wins bring the Lions to 17-3 on the season and 7-2 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs fall to 9-10 on the year and 4-8 in conference play.

The Lions return to action on Monday for a non-conference home doubleheader against Missouri Western State. The first game will start at 2 p.m. at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
– Ciera Nunez hit an inside the park home run in the fourth inning. She hit the ball into right field against a shift and drove in three runs. She scored two runs on the day with a stolen base.
– Vanessa Muro had two RBI hits, driving in three runs on a single and a double.
– Kimber Neal had a two-RBI single in the fifth. She also scored a run.
– Baylea Higgs had two hits and two runs scored. She also had a stolen base.
– Mariah Jameyson had a single, a run scored and an RBI. Bri Sims also had a hit and an RBI.
– Kayla Kilcrease had a single and scored a run. Jodie Hill scored two runs, and Chloe Horn also scored a run.
– Selena Rima pitched a complete game and had four strikeouts and only one walk. She did not give up an earned run on six hits allowed.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
Nunez reached on a fielding error to start the game and stole second base. A single from Hebler moved her into scoring position, and a sacrifice fly from Jameyson drove in the first run of the game. The Mustangs went three-up and three-down in the bottom of the inning, and the Lions held a 1-0 lead.

Rima continued to pitch well in the second inning. She struck out the side to keep the Lions in front. The Lions scored another run in the third inning. Higgs singled and then stole second base. A single from Muro brought her across, and the Lions held a 2-0 lead. The Mustangs scored a run in the bottom of the third to bring the score to 2-1.

The Lions broke the game open in the fourth inning. After a walk by both Hill and Neal, the Mustangs put on the shift against Nunez. She hit the ball down the right-field line and raced all around the bases, scoring three runs on her inside the park home run. Rima had another strikeout in the bottom of the fourth, and the Lions led 5-1.

A&M-Commerce added two more runs in the fifth inning. Neal came to the plate with two runners in scoring position and drove a single up the middle, scoring two more runs. A quick bottom of the inning took the Lions into the sixth with a 7-1 lead.

The Lions continued to pile on in the sixth. Higgs, Hebler, and Jameyson all had singles to load the bases. Muro then came up and hit a double down the right-field line to score two runs. A groundout from Sims drove in another run, and the Lions led 10-1 going into the bottom of the sixth.

Rima stepped out into the circle in the bottom of the inning and made quick work of the Mustangs. She forced a foul out and two pop outs to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
– Katie Dean pitched a complete game and gave up just one hit in the game. She struck out three batters in the outing.
– Ciera Nunez went 3-of-4 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored.
– Baylea Higgs had two hits, two RBIs and one run scored.
– Kinsie Hebler and Vanessa Muro both had a single, and each had two RBIs.
– Mariah Jameyson, Kayla Kilcrease, and Kimber Neal all had a hit. Neal scored two runs, and Kilcrease scored one.
– Jodie Hill, Chloe Horn and Precious Thompson also scored a run apiece.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
Nunez led off the game with a double, but both pitchers did well in the first two innings of the game. Dean had a strikeout in the first inning and did not give up a hit in the first two innings.

The Lions blew open the game in the third inning, scoring six runs on five hits. The first two batters drew walks and also had stolen bases. Nunez then singled up the middle to score the first run. Higgs then singled to score the second run. Nunez scored on a single from Hebler. Muro then singled and brought two more runs across as the Lions took a 6-0 lead in the third inning. Dean continued to dominate in the circle, striking out another batter and forcing two groundouts.

Neither team did damage in the next two innings. Dean continued to shine in the circle, retiring six more batters without giving up a hit. The Lions kept their 6-0 lead through five innings.

A&M-Commerce added three more runs in the sixth inning. Kilcrease led off with a single and was brought around to score. Neal then singled, and Nunez doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Higgs singled up the middle to score Neal. Hebler had a sacrifice fly to bring in Nunez. The Lions led 9-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Mustangs finally were able to get a hit off of Dean in the bottom of the sixth, breaking up the no-hitter. A double play groundout allowed the Mustangs to get their only run of the game across and the Lions got the final out to end the game in six innings.

 

SOFTBALL

No. 11 Lions drop contest 5-4 against Midwestern State.

WICHITA FALLS– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team lost a 5-4 game against Midwestern State on Friday. The Lions took the lead in the sixth inning but fell behind in the bottom of the sixth and could not regain the lead.

The loss brings the Lions to 15-3 on the season and 5-2 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs improve to 9-8 and 4-6 in conference play.

The teams will meet again on Saturday in a doubleheader. The first game will begin at 1 p.m. at Mustang Park in Wichita Falls.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Vanessa Muro went 2-of-3 with two doubles.
– Ciera Nunez and Baylea Higgs both had a hit, and both drove in a run.
– Mariah Jameyson had a hit and scored a run. Kinsie Hebler also had a hit.
– Vanessa Avina, Kimber Neal, and Precious Thompson also all scored a run.
– Emily Otto pitched a complete game and gave up five hits with four strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a quick top of the first, the Mustangs struck first in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff triple, a single brought the first run of the game across. Another run came across because of an error, and MSU took a 2-0 lead after one complete inning.

Both teams struggled to get their bats going in the next three innings. Otto did not give up a hit in any of those innings, but the Lion offense could not get their bats going either. After four complete innings, the Mustangs still held a 2-0 lead.

The Lions got their bats going in the fifth inning. The team hit three singles but could not string enough hits together to get a run across. The Mustangs had another hitless inning in the bottom half, and the score was still 2-0.

The Lions finally got some offensive production in the top of the sixth inning. They loaded the bases with one out. Nunez then came up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to drive in a run. Higgs came up next and singled, scoring two more runs. The Lions took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Mustangs responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. A walk and two singles drove in a run. The next batter hit a double to score two more runs. The Mustangs took a 5-3 lead into the seventh inning.

The Lions looked to rally in the top of the seventh inning. Jameyson drew a walk, and Muro then doubled, putting two runners in scoring position. Hill came up and hit a groundout, scoring Jameyson. The Lions had one more chance to get a runner across, but a strikeout ended the rally and ended the game.

 

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Obst leads heptathlon; Lions put five in Saturday’s finals.

Updated timing and scoring

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce, indoor track, and field teams advanced five student-athletes to Saturday’s finals. Heptathlete Florian Obst owns the lead after four events at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Rashard Clark had the top performances of the day for the Lions, qualifying for both the 200 meter and 400-meter finals on Saturday. His time of 46.21 seconds in the 400 meters is the fifth-fastest time in NCAA Division II history, as well as a new Lone Star Conference and A&M-Commerce record. His 200 meter qualifying time of 21.29 seconds is the fourth-fastest in the field.

Obst had the top finish in the 60-meter dash, and the shot put and holds an 11-point lead entering the second day of competition. He has scored 3,228 points in the first four events, which is on pace to break his personal best, a school and LSC record. He scored 904 points in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.94 seconds, and he notched 789 points in the shot put with a toss of 14.99 meters (49-2 ¼), which was nearly six feet further than his nearest competitor.

He will complete competition Saturday at noon with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault, and 1,000-meter run. The first two rank amongst Obst’s top scoring events.

Dorian Andrews qualified for the 60-meter hurdles final in only his sixth collegiate hurdles heat – all of which have ended with him holding a new A&M-Commerce record in the event. He became the first Lion to go under eight seconds with a time of 7.98 seconds. His competition final will be at 5:00 p.m. Saturday.

Dedrian Windham joined Clark in the 400 meter final, becoming the third Lion to go under 47 seconds this season. He qualified with a time of 46.94 seconds for the fourth-fastest qualifying time.

Kamryn McKee qualified for the women’s 400-meter final in the eighth spot with a time of 55.73 seconds.

Other finals action on Saturday will include Hudson Hall in the men’s pole vault and DeVontae Steele in the men’s triple jump.

The 4×400 meter relay teams will also compete for points in the final events of the night.

Other Lions who competed Friday included Jude Christine in the men’s 200 meters and 400 meters, D’lance Sharp in the men’s 200 meters, McKee in the women’s 200 meters, Minna Svaerd in the women’s pole vault and 400 meters, and Julia Seigerroth in the women’s 60-meter hurdles.

SATURDAY LION SCHEDULE
Noon – Men’s Heptathlon finishes – Florian Obst
4 p.m. – Men’s Pole Vault – Hudson Hall
5 p.m. – Men’s 60m Hurdles Finals – Dorian Andrews
6 p.m. – Men’s 400m Finals –Rashard Clark, Dedrian Windham
6:10 p.m. – Women’s 400m Finals – Kamryn McKee
6:15 p.m. – Men’s Triple Jump – DeVontae Steele
6:45 p.m. – Men’s 200m Finals –Rashard Clark
7:45 p.m. – Men’s 4x400m Relay – Jude Christine, Dedrian Windham, D’lance Sharp, Rashard Clark
8 p.m. – Women’s 4x400m Relay – Ro’nisha Simpson, Joy Spann, Minna Svaerd, Kamryn McKee