TAMUC – Sports

 

SOFTBALL

No. 13 Softball’s record-breaking season comes to an end after 8-1 loss to ASU in Super Regional Championship Series.

SAN ANGELO– The No. 13 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team fell 8-1 in game two of the South Central Super Regional Tournament to No. 6 Angelo State on Friday afternoon.

The loss brings the Lions to 42-12 and ends the program’s record-breaking season. The Rambelles improve to 52-7 and advance to the NCAA Championship Tournament.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Ciera Nunez, Baylea Higgs, Mariah Jameyson, Kayla Kilcrease, and Jodie Hill all had hits.
– Kinsie Hebler drove in the Lions’ lone run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Nunez scored the run.
– Selena Rima, Emily Otto, Katie Dean, and Hebler all saw time in the pitching circle.
– Otto had a strikeout, adding to her single-season program record total.
– The Lions’ record-breaking season ended in the Super Regional series.

HOW IT HAPPENED
ASU had two singles in the top of the first inning, but Rima drew a fly out, and a groundout and Jameyson threw out a would-be base stealer. The Lions scored in the bottom of the inning as Nunez singled and a pitch hit Higgs. After a wild pitch, Hebler hit a long fly ball that allowed Nunez to score on the sacrifice. The Lions led 1-0 after one inning.

ASU had two batters reach base to start the second inning. With two outs, a single into left scored one of the runners, and a double scored two more. The Lions had a double in the bottom of the inning but could not get a run across. ASU led 3-1 after two complete.

Hebler had a strikeout in the third inning as the Lion defense held ASU scoreless. A&M-Commerce had singles from Higgs and Jameyson in the bottom of the inning but could not bring the runners around, and ASU led 3-1 after three.

Hebler had another strikeout, and she and Jameyson caught another runner stealing in the fourth inning. Chealsea Slider led the inning off with a walk followed by a Hill single to put two runners on. The Lions had two more hard hits, both caught, and they could not bring a run across. The game was still 3-1 in favor of ASU after four innings.

ASU hit two home runs in the top of the fifth. The first was a solo shot and the second was a two-run homer. ASU took a 6-1 lead. The Lions retired in order in the inning.

ASU hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning. The Lions did not have a hit in the final two innings of play.

 

SOFTBALL

No. 13 Lions lose 7-6 extra-inning heartbreaker to No. 6 Angelo State in the first game of Super Regional.

SAN ANGELO– The No. 13 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team lost 7-6 in extra innings to No. 6 Angelo State on Thursday. The Lions led the majority of the game, but ASU pulled ahead in the final two innings.

The loss brings the Lions to 42-11 on the season while ASU improves to 51-7. The game was the first of the best-of-three Super Regional series.

The teams meet again tomorrow. The Lions need two wins to win the series. Game two will begin at 2:00 p.m. Friday at Mayer Field in San Angelo. Should the Lions win the second game, a deciding game-three is 4:30 p.m.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Kinsie Hebler hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, her third grand slam of the season and her 19th homer.
– Baylea Higgs had three hits, scoring two runs and driving in another.
– Mariah Jameyson, Bri Sims, Jodie Hill and Monica Cherry also had a hit.
– Cherry scored two runs, and Jameyson also scored a run.
– Emily Otto pitched 6.2 innings, striking out eight batters against just one walk. Lacie Bullard pitched the final 1.1 innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Higgs hit a double to put a runner on in the top of the first for the Lions. However, the Lions could not bring the runner around. Otto started the bottom of the first well, striking out the first two batters. The game was tied 0-0 after one complete.

It continued to be a pitcher’s duel in the second. Sims hit a double but could not get around. Otto also gave up a double in the bottom of the inning but also had three swinging strikeouts. The teams were still scoreless after two innings.

The Lions got the scoring started in the third inning. Cherry led off with a single, and she was brought home on a triple from Higgs. Higgs scored on a wild pitch, and the Lions took a 2-0 lead. ASU tied the game in the bottom of the third. After a throw hit a batter, another ASU hitter hit a home run over the right-field fence to bring in two. The game tied at two after three innings.

Otto had another strikeout in the fourth, but neither team could bring any runs across. The score tied at two after four innings.

A&M-Commerce struck again in the top of the fifth. Cherry drew a walk and Higgs, and Jameyson both singled to load the bases. Hebler then came to the plate and crushed a pitch to right center field, bringing in all four runners on her third grand slam of the season. The Lion defense continued to play strong behind Otto as well, recording three outs in succession. The Lions led 6-2 after five complete.

The Lions drew a walk in the top of the sixth, prompting a pitching change for ASU. The Lions could not get a rally going in the inning. In the bottom half, the Lion defense continued to shine. ASU had a long hit out to center field, but Higgs jumped and extended over the fence, pulling the ball in to rob a home run. ASU then had a pair of hits into the outfield, scoring a run to cut the Lion lead to 6-3 after six innings.

The Lions were retired in order in the top of the seventh, bringing ASU up to bat. After a fly out, a fielding error was followed by a two-out home run, bringing in three unearned runs to tie the game. The Lions turned to Bullard to record the final out, and she drew a fly out. The game went into extra innings tied at six.

The Lions loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the eighth but could not get a run across. The Rambelles ended the game in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a wild pitch.

Josh Manck
Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Communications | Texas A&M University-Commerce