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TRACK AND FIELD
Three Lions earn provisional marks at Cactus Cup.
KINGSVILLE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field programs sent limited rosters to the Texas A&M-Kingsville Cactus Cup this weekend, with three student-athletes earning NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks.
The first weekend of the outdoor season provided a break for many Lions who were recently competing in the indoor season.
Markie Abbot made her debut for the season in the women’s high jump and earned a provisional qualifying mark of 1.67 meters (5-5 ¾), good for second place in the competition.
The men’s pole vault saw two Lions earn provisional qualifying marks, as Hudson Hall cleared the bar at 5.05 meters (16-6 ¾) and Colin Millsap cleared 4.80 meters (15-9).
The Lions’ full team will hit the track on Saturday, March 24, at UT Arlington’s Bobby Lane Invitational.
PROVISIONAL QUALIFYING MARKS
Markie Abbott – Women’s High Jump – 1.67m
Hudson Hall – Men’s Pole Vault – 5.05m
Colin Millsap – Men’s Pole Vault – 4.80m
SOFTBALL
No. 11 Lions hit two grand slams in the 11-1 win over UT-Permian Basin.
COMMERCE– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team rolled to its ninth consecutive victory with an 11-1 win over visiting UT-Permian Basin at the John Cain Family Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
With the sweep of the Lone Star Conference series, the Lions are now 25-3 overall and 10-2 in LSC action. UT Permian Basin falls to 9-22 overall and 0-12 in league play.
The Lions will return to action on Friday, March 23, for the first of a three-game LSC series against Texas A&M-Kingsville. The game will feature a Superhero Costume Contest and will be Student Appreciation Night, as the first game back from Spring Break. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– The Lions hit two grand slams in the game, the first time in program history. Bri Sims hit one in the first inning, and Kayla Kilcrease hit one in the second.
– Sims and Kilcrease both also scored two runs.
– Jodie Hill had two hits and three stolen bases.
– Ciera Nunez and Baylea Higgs both had a single and scored a run with an RBI. Nunez also had a stolen base.
– Mariah Jameyson scored two runs. Kinsie Hebler had a hit and scored a run.
– Chloe Horn and Monica Cherry also scored runs.
– Katie Dean pitched a complete game and had seven strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Falcons struck first in the top of the first. After Dean struck-out the first batter of the game, the next two reached. A single to the left scored a run, and the Falcons led 1-0.
The Lions answered in the bottom of the inning. Nunez reached on a walk and stole second base. She scored on the double from Higgs. Hebler and Jameyson both walked to load the bases with no outs. Sims then came to the plate and crushed a ball to left center, clearing the bases on the grand slam. After a walk and an error put two more on, Hill bunted for a single to bring another run across. Nunez then doubled to score one more, and the Lions led 7-1 after one inning.
Two runners reached for the Falcons in the second inning, but Dean also struck out three in the inning to keep UTPB off of the board. The Lions came up and once again added to the lead. Hebler led off with a double and Jameyson, and Sims both walked to load the bases. Kilcrease came to the plate next and smoked a pitch over the fence for the second grand slam of the day. The Lions led 11-1 after two innings.
Dean had another strikeout in the top of the third and also forced two groundouts. The Lions went three-up and three-down in the bottom of the inning. Dean had another strikeout in the fourth inning, but the Lions did not add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Dean struck out one more in the fifth, and the Lions got the 10-run win.
SOFTBALL
No. 11 Lions push their win streak to eight with two wins over UTPB.
COMMERCE– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team defeated UT Permian Basin twice on Friday night. The Lions won the first game 13-7 and the second game 10-0 in five innings.
The wins bring the Lions to 24-3 on the season and 9-2 in the Lone Star Conference. The Falcons fall to 9-21 and 0-11 in conference play.
The teams will meet in the final game of the series at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be at John Cain Family Softball Field. Admission to the contest will be $1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
– Bri Sims had two hits, including a home run in the fifth inning. She had two RBIs on the day.
– Mariah Jameyson had two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Kayla Kilcrease also had two RBIs.
– Hebler had two hits, two runs scored and hit a run in to score.
– Monica Cherry pinch hit and had a two-run homer in the fifth. It was her first of the year.
– Kimber Neal had one hit with an RBI. Jodie Hill had single and scored two runs.
– Ciera Nunez and Baylea Higgs both had singles and scored a run.
– Allie Thompson and Vanessa Muro also scored runs.
– Nunez and Hill both had two stolen bases. Higgs, Kilcrease and Precious Thompson all had one stolen base.
– Emily Otto got her eighth win of the year. She had five strikeouts. Selena Rima got the save.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
The Falcons got the hitting started early in the game. After a strikeout for Otto, the next two batters both hit solo home runs to give UTPB a 2-0 lead. Otto struck out the next batter and then got the final out via fly out to end the top of the inning. The Lion bats were unable to get going in the bottom of the inning, and UTPB led 2-0 after one.
After Otto settled into the game in the second, the Lion bats got going in the second inning. Kilcrease walked and stole second base. Hill then singled to put Kilcrease into scoring position. Hill then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Neal walked to load the bases with two outs. Nunez then reached on a fielding error, bringing two runs across. The game tied at two after two complete innings.
The Falcons retook the lead in the third inning. A leadoff single was followed by a double to put two runners in scoring position. A sacrifice fly brought in a run, and the Falcons took a 3-2 lead.
The Lions answered back with four runs in the bottom of the third. Hebler and Jameyson both walked to open up the inning. Sims then came up and doubled into left to score a run. Kilcrease grounded out but brought another run across to give the Lions the lead. A passed ball brought in another runner, and a single from Neal brought in the fourth run of the inning. The Lions led 6-3 after three full innings.
Otto got another strikeout in the fourth inning, and the Lion offense added two more runs in the bottom half. Higgs singled in the infield to lead off and proceeded to steal second. She scored on the double down the right-field line from Jameyson. Hebler scored on a sacrifice fly from Kilcrease to give A&M-Commerce an 8-3 lead after four.
The Falcons answered back with three runs in the top of the fifth. A double down the left field line scored the first run. A single up the middle scored two more, and the Falcons cut the Lion lead to 8-6. Rima came in to finish the inning and did, getting the final out of the inning.
The Lions scored five in the bottom of the fifth. Nunez scored on the double from Hebler. Jameyson then scored Hebler on a single to center. Cherry pinch hit and homered to right center to bring in two more. Sims followed Cherry and hit a solo home run to bring the Lion lead to 13-6 after five.
The Falcons scored another run in the seventh inning, but the Lion defense clamped down to end the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
– Baylea Higgs hit her first career home run in the top of the first. She had two hits with two runs scored and three RBIs as well as a stolen base.
– Monica Cherry had a two-RBI triple in the fourth inning. She also scored a run and had a stolen base.
– Jodie Hill had three hits, one RBI and two runs scored. She also stole a base.
– Kimber Neal had two singles, one run scored, one RBI and a stolen base.
– Bri Sims had a solo home run, her second of the series. Kinsie Hebler had two hits, scored a run and had an RBI.
– Mariah Jameyson had two hits and scored a run. Ciera Nunez had two hits, a run scored and a stolen base.
– Kayla Kilcrease also had an RBI.
– Katie Dean pitched a complete five innings for her ninth win of the year. She had three strikeouts and gave up just three hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
After a quick top of the inning, which included a strikeout for Dean, the Lions wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the inning. Nunez reached with a bunt single and stole second. She scored on a home run from Higgs. Sims also homered, and the Lions led 3-0 after one inning.
Dean had another strikeout in the top of the second, and the Lions again had a perfect inning on defense. The bats continued to smoke for the Lions in the bottom half of the inning. Hill led off with a home run. Neal then scored on a single from Higgs. Hebler then hit a single to score Higgs. The Lions led 6-0 after two complete innings.
The Falcons had two hits in the third inning, but the Lion defense stayed firm to get the next two outs without a run coming across. The Lions also had two hits in the bottom of the inning but could not get runs across. The score was 6-0 after three.
After a quick top of the fourth, the Lions added four more runs in the bottom of the inning. Hebler walked, and Jameyson followed with a double. A triple from Cherry scored both runners. Cherry then scored on a sacrifice fly from Kilcrease. Hill singled and then stole second. She scored on a single from Neal, and the Lions led 10-0 going into the fifth.
The Falcons went three-up and three down in the fifth, and the Lions won in a shortened game.
RELAYS
Obst earns an invitation to full Texas Relays decathlon field.
AUSTIN – Texas A&M University-Commerce’s Florian Obst has been announced as one of 18 competitors in the decathlon at the 91st running of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays Built By The Home Depot.
The Texas Relays decathlon will be Wednesday, March 28, and Thursday, March 29. The release of other entries for other events will be on March 22.
Obst – the 2017 Division II decathlon national champion – is the only Division II student-athletes in this year’s field, and becomes the second Division II student-athletes to participate in the Texas Relays decathlon for two straight years, joining Abilene Christian’s Camille Vandendriessche on that list.
Obst scored 7,235 points for an eighth-place finish at last year’s Texas Relays in a competition that saw Olympian and former Texas A&M Aggie Lindon Victor break the collegiate record. Obst is one of five student-athletes returning from last year’s Texas Relays field.
Texas Relays Decathlon Field
| Tyler Adams | Sam Houston State | 2018 NCAA Indoor 3rd |
| Joe Delgado | Louisville | 2018 NCAA Indoor 9th |
| William Dougherty | Iowa | 2017 NCAA Outdoor 17th |
| Scott Filip | Rice | 2018 NCAA Indoor 16th, 2017 NCAA Outdoor 5th |
| Eric Fox | Louisville | |
| Christian Friis | Duke | |
| Nathan Hite | Texas A&M | |
| Ben Johnson | Wichita State | |
| Wolf Mahler | Texas | 2017 NCAA Outdoor 8th, 2015 NCAA Outdoor 7th |
| Martin Moldau | Washington State | |
| Kevin Nielsen | BYU | 2017 NCAA Indoor 10th |
| Florian Obst | A&M-Commerce | 2018 NCAA Indoor 11th, 2017 NCAA Outdoor DII Champion |
| Corey Reid | South Dakota | |
| Denim Rogers | Garden City CC | 2018 NJCAA Indoor Champion, 2017 NJCAA Outdoor 5th |
| Solomon Simmons | Kennesaw State | |
| Jacob Sobota | Duke | |
| Chris Stone | Auburn | |
| Hunter Veith | Wichita State | 2018 NCAA Indoor 2nd, 2017 NCAA Outdoor 6th |
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Reggie Reid named Second Team All-District by NABC.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Texas A&M University-Commerce junior Reggie Reid has been named Second Team All-District by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, as announced Friday. It is Reid’s second postseason regional honor of the season, as he was previously named Second Team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association. He is the first Lion to earn All-District honors from the NABC since Darrell Williams in 2014-15.
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 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.
2018 NABC COACHES’ DIVISION II ALL-DISTRICT – SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
First Team
Rasmus Bach, Fort Lewis
Patrick Burke, Dallas Baptist
David Chavlovich, West Texas A&M
Daeshon Francis, UT Permian Basin
Dayon Goodman, Westminster
Davaunta Thomas, Arkansas-Fort Smith
Second Team
Chandler Jacobs, Dallas Baptist
Josh Morris, UT Permian Basin
Reggie Reid, A&M-Commerce
Luke Schroepfer, Colorado School of Mines
Dexter Sienko, Regis
Coach of the Year: Tom Brown, West Texas A&M
SOFTBALL
Spring break series against UTPB
COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team has announced changes to its homestand against UT-Permian Basin over the weekend.
The Lions and Falcons will now play a doubleheader on Friday starting at 4:00 p.m. The teams will play a single game on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. All games will be at John Cain Family Field. Admission to all games will be $1 per day for the unique Spring Break weekend series.
For further information on the schedule and any continued changes, please remember to visit LionAthletics.com.
SOFTBALL
No. 11 Lions bombard St. Edward’s in a doubleheader to sweep season series.
AUSTIN– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team defeated St. Edward’s University in three games on Wednesday. The Lions beat the Hilltoppers 2-0 in the first game, finishing a halted game that started on Feb. 7. The team then played their regularly scheduled doubleheader. A&M-Commerce won the first game 14-1 and the second game 12-0, both in five innings.
The wins bring the Lions to 22-3 on the season, and they sweep the season series against the Hilltoppers 4-0. SEU falls to 3-24 on the year.
The Lions return to Lone Star Conference action on Friday in a three-game home series against UT Permian Basin. The teams will play a single game on Friday at 7 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. All games will be at the John Cain Family Softball Complex in Commerce.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
– Neither team had a hit in the final three innings in the restarted game. Emily Otto pitched all three innings, striking out three to get the save. The win went to Kinsie Hebler.
– Jodie Hill had two hits in the game in Commerce, one of which drove in a run.
– Baylea Higgs had the only other hit of the game for the Lions.
– Hebler had an RBI on a sacrifice fly
– Lacie Bullard started the game and one strikeout in three complete innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
The game began in Commerce on Feb. 7. The Lions scored a run in both the third and fourth innings. Hebler hit a sacrifice fly to score Hill in the third. Hill then had an RBI single in the fourth inning to score Vanessa Muro.
The game restarted in the fifth inning in Austin and Otto was brought in to pitch. After walking the first two batters, she settled in and got the first batter out on a groundout. She then got the next two outs via swinging strikeouts, and the Lions still held a 2-0 lead.
Neither team could get their bats going in the sixth inning. Otto retired the Hilltoppers in order in the top of the frame. The Lions drew a leadoff walk and had two runners reach via walk. However, they could not find a way to bring the runners around, and the game stayed at 2-0.
The Lions continued to play well on defense, retiring the batters, in order, to leave with a 2-0 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
– All nine starting batters scored at least one run for the Lions.
– Mariah Jameyson went 2-of-3, including a three-run home run in the fifth. She also scored two runs. Jameyson now has ten home runs on the year.
– Kayla Kilcrease hit her first career home run in the fifth inning. She had two hits and drove in three runs.
– Kinsie Hebler had a solo home run in the first inning. She had two hits, three RBIs and a run scored.
– Baylea Higgs had two singles, an RBI and two runs scored. She also had a stolen base.
– Vanessa Muro, Cally Pausewang, and Taylor Pruitt also had hits. Bri Sims also had an RBI.
– Ciera Nunez had two runs scored and stole a base. Muro, Sims, Pruitt, Kimber Neal and Jodie Hill also scored a run apiece.
– Selena Rima pitched a complete game. She gave up one earned run with two strikeouts and seven hits. She had six groundouts and seven fly outs.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
The Lions got on the board early in the game as Hebler blasted a pitch over the left field fence in the first inning. The Hilltoppers came up in the bottom of the first and hit two singles, but Rima got out of the inning unscathed. The Lions held a 1-0 lead after one.
The Lion bats got going in the second inning. Kilcrease led off with a double. Hill and Neal both walked to load the bases with no outs. Nunez then drew a walk to bring in a run. Higgs then came up and hit into a fielder’s choice to drive in another run. Hebler came up next and hit the ball into the gap in the center and drove in two more runs. The Hilltoppers had a solo homer in the bottom of the second, and A&M-Commerce led 5-1 after two innings.
After neither team had a hit in the third inning, the Lions again started a rally in the fourth inning. Higgs had a single sandwiched between two outs. The Lions then started piling on. Jameyson singled to put two on base. Muro then walked to load the bases. Walks from Sims and Kilcrease brought two runs across. Jodie Hill then hit to the third baseman. An errant throw allowed two runs to score and the Lions led 9-1 after four innings. Rima retired the Hilltoppers in order in the bottom of the inning.
Nunez drew a walk and stole second. Higgs then had a bunt single and took second herself to put two runners in scoring position. Jameyson came to the plate and smoked a pitch over the left field fence to bring in three runs. Taylor Pruitt came up as a pinch hitter and singled and was driven home on a homer from Kilcrease to right field. The Lions led 14-1.
After a fly out to lead off, the Hilltoppers had three consecutive singles to load the bases in the bottom of the fifth. Rima locked in to get the last two batters, one via strikeout and one via groundout. The Lions won 14-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 3)
– Mariah Jameyson hit back-to-back home runs in the same inning, including a grand slam. She tied her school record with eight RBIs. She went 4-for-4 on the day and now added 12 home runs on the season with two grand slams.
– Baylea Higgs had two hits, two runs scored and three RBIs. She also had two stolen bases.
– Ciera Nunez had three hits, two runs scored and even took a bag.
– Kimber Neal had one single, one RBI and two runs scored.
– Bri Sims also had a hit. Jodie Hill, Kayla Kilcrease, Precious Thompson and Kinsie Hebler all scored runs.
– Neal and Thompson also had stolen bases.
– Katie Dean pitched a complete five innings, giving up just two hits with four strikeouts. It was her eighth win of the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 3)
Higgs had a walk in the first inning and stole both second and third base. A single from Jameyson brought her home to put the Lions on top. Dean had two strikeouts in the bottom of the first, and the Lions led 1-0.
A&M-Commerce had a two-out rally in the second inning. Neal drew a walk and advanced to second on a single from Nunez. Neal then stole third while Nunez took second. Higgs singled to drive in a run, and the Lions led 2-0. Dean forced three groundouts to Neal in the bottom of the inning, and the Lions led 2-0 after two.
The Lion offense exploded in the third inning, scoring nine runs. Jameyson had a two-run home run. Neal had an RBI single. Higgs had a two-RBI single. Jameyson then came up again with the bases loaded and blasted a grand slam to center field. The Lions led 11-0 after three innings.
Neither team had a hit in the fourth inning as Dean continued to pitch well. She had another strikeout, and Jameyson caught a runner stealing. The game was still 11-0 after four innings.
The Lions added a run in the fifth inning. Nunez singled to lead off. After two groundouts put her on third, a double from Jameyson drove in Nunez. The Lions led 12-0. Dean finished the game well, getting the final out without giving up a hit for the 12-0 shutout win.
SOFTBALL
Softball holds at No. 11 in NFCA Poll.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team stayed at No. 11 in the country in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association rankings as announced Wednesday. Four consecutive NFCA polls rank the Lions nationally.
The No. 11 Lions defeated Midwestern State two out of three games last week, bringing their conference record to 7-2. The Lions’ only non-conference loss this season has come to Colorado Mesa, who is ranked No. 1 in the NFCA poll. A&M-Commerce is one of three Lone Star Conference teams in the rankings. Angelo State is ranked No. 4, and West Texas A&M is ranked No. 15.
A&M-Commerce is 19-3 on the season and will now face St. Edward’s in a doubleheader today starting at Noon. The games will take place at Diane Daniels Field in Austin. The Lions will then return to LSC action with a three-game series against UT Permian Basin. The first game will be at 7:00 p.m. on Friday with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m. All home games are at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.
2018 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll – Mar . 14 (Week 4)
| RANK | TEAM (First Place) | TOTALS | Record | Last Poll |
| 1 | Colorado Mesa (12) | 394 | 22-0 | 1 |
| 2 | North Georgia (2) | 385 | 26-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Dixie State (2) | 373 | 18-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Angelo State | 350 | 24-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Chico State | 329 | 23-2 | 5 |
| 6 | North Alabama | 325 | 20-2 | 6 |
| 7 | Winona State | 303 | 17-2 | 8 |
| 8 | Southern Arkansas | 280 | 19-3 | 7 |
| 9 | Saint Leo | 235 | 20-7 | 10 |
| 10 | Minnesota State | 231 | 16-3 | 9 |
| 11 | A&M-COMMERCE | 220 | 17-3 | 11 |
| 12 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 214 | 19-4 | 12 |
| 13 | Palm Beach Atlantic | 198 | 16-2 | 13 |
| 14 | Sonoma State | 178 | 17-7 | 15 |
| 15 | West Texas A&M | 173 | 19-3 | 15 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 168 | 14-4 | 20 |
| 17 | Concordia Irvine | 131 | 14-5 | 19 |
| 18 | Harding | 111 | 14-4 | 17 |
| 19 | Queens (N.C.) | 88 | 23-3 | 22 |
| 20 | Southern New Hampshire | 87 | 10-0 | NR |
| 21 | West Florida | 80 | 14-8 | 24 |
| 22 | UC San Diego | 69 | 19-4 | 25 |
| 23 | Grand Valley State | 66 | 13-5 | NR |
| 24 | Merrimack | 53 | 11-1 | 22 |
| 25 | California Baptist | 37 | 16-3 | RV |
Josh Manck
Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce