J.T. Smith to compete at USATF Indoor Championships

INDIANAPOLIS – The 2023 USA Track and Field Indoor Championships has invited Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s track and field sprinter J.T. Smith to compete in the 60-meter dash at the 2023 USA Track and Field Indoor Championships next weekend in Albuquerque, N.M. 

Smith (Klein Oak) qualified for the Indoor Championships with his then-school-record time of 6.60 seconds earlier this season. Last Friday, he improved his time to 6.56 seconds on his way to winning the race at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas. That time is now sixth in NCAA Division I this season and tied for the best in the Southland Conference. 

The USA Track and Field Championships take place this Thursday-Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The first round of the 60-meter dash takes place at 2:05 p.m. central on Friday. The semifinals occur on Saturday at 2:44 p.m. central, and the finals are the last event of the meet at 4:50 p.m. on Saturday. 

Smith’s qualifying time of 6.56 seconds is fourth among the runners they have accepted. 

The first round and the semifinal races can be viewed with a subscription to USATF.TV, while NBC will broadcast the finals race live.

Lion Softball concludes Aggie Classic.

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team closed out the Aggie Classic on Sunday at the Davis Diamond with losses to Tarleton, 6-2 in the first game, and 25-0 to Texas A&M in five innings in the second game. 

It was the first weekend of competition for the Lions as members of NCAA Division I. Unfortunately, they went 0-5 on the weekend. 

“This weekend was a good opportunity for us to learn and grow as a team through this transition,” said coach Brittany Miller. “We have many bright spots. Now we have to continue to build and learn to continue in this journey as a team working towards one goal!” 

GAME 1: TARLETON 6, A&M-COMMERCE 2

Ashlynn Griffith (Cedar Hill) hit a one-out base hit and moved to second on an error in the first. She scored on an RBI single through the left side by Elizabeth Guerrero (International School of Americas). 

The Tarleton got one runner on base in the bottom of the first, but she stayed at first to end the inning. The Lions got a runner on in the second but also stranded her. Austin Germain tied the game with a leadoff home run to left center in the second. 

Tristyn Trull got on base via a walk, a fielding error put two on with one out. MacKenzie Peterson singled to left center to load the bases. Morgan Medford followed with a single to left center to bring Trull home and give Tarleton its first-game lead. Two flyouts ended the inning. 

The Lions tied the game in the third on a deep home run to center by Diamond Sefe (Carson, Calif.), her first as a college player. The Texans put two on with two outs, but a soft grounder to the pitcher helped the Lions get out of the inning.

 Both teams had a runner reach base safely in the fourth, but the game remain tied at two after four. In the top of the fifth, the Lions had runners at second and third but could not get them across. Tarleton scored three in the fifth on five hits. Katy Schaefer singled to start the inning, and after a flyout, she moved to second on a base hit by Brady Rowland. 

Trull loaded the bases once again with a single through the right side. Sage Harlow came in as a pinch hitter and drove in the game’s third run for Tarleton on a fielder’s choice. Peterson drove in Trull with a double to left and Harlow scored on an infield single by Medford. 

The Lions got two on base with an out in the sixth, but they were left stranded once. The Lions left nine runners on base in the game. Tarleton added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Schaefer tripled to right center and scored on an infield base hit by Rowland. 

Annisa Arrendondo (San Antonio – Warren) fell to 0-3 on the season after tossing 4.2 innings and allowing four earned runs on nine hits and three walks. Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) tossed 1.1 innings and gave up an earned run while striking out three. 

Kennedy Ferguson got the complete game win for Tarleton. She allowed ten hits and one run earned. She struck out four and walked two. 

For the Lions, Sefe batted 3 for 4 in the game, while Avery Zeigler (Southlake Carroll) and Guerrero went 2 for 2. Schaefer, Rowland, and Peterson had two hits each for the Texans.

 GAME 2: TEXAS A&M 25, A&M-COMMERCE 0 (Five Innings)

The Aggies scored in all four innings that they batted in. They scored five in the first, three in the seconds, 13 in the third, and four in the fourth. Texas A&M hit four home runs in the game. 

Aiyana Coleman had a three-run home run to center in the first, and Allie Enright hit a solo shot in the first. Koko Wooley homered to center in the third, a three-run home run, and Gracyn Coleman homered over the left field scoreboard in the third. 

The Lions had two hits, both coming in the third inning. Jodi De Hart (Pittsburg – Lindale) singled to center, and Sefe singled up the middle. A&M-Commerce had two on but could not score. 

A&M-Commerce used five pitchers in the game. McKenna Meadors (The Woodlands Christian Academy) started the game and came back to close out it, tossing two innings in total. 

Emiley Kennedy got the win for the Aggies, pitching the complete game, and she struck out seven.  

UP NEXT

The Lions head to Stephenville to take part in the Tarleton Tournament on Friday-Saturday. A&M-Commerce takes on Akron at 11:45 am on Friday and Northern Colorado at 4:15 pm.

Northwestern State rallies in the second half to down the Lions.

NATCHITOCHES, La. – A big third quarter by the Northwestern State Lady Demons, in which the Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team was outscored by 13, helped the Lady Demons win 71-66 on Saturday at Prather Coliseum. 

The Lions led by 11 in the second quarter but were outscored 25-13 in the third quarter as the Lady Demons split the week with the Lions. Both teams defended home court in the home-and-home series. A&M-Commerce drops to 10-14 overall and 8-4 in Southland Play, falling 1.5 games out of first place, while the Lady Demons are 10-13 overall and 6-7 in the conference. 

The Lady Demons held the Lions to just two points in the game’s first four minutes and built an 8-2 lead. However, a&M-Commerce served back a 10-0 run to take the lead over four minutes and led for the rest of the first half. 

After missing its first five field goals to start the game, the Lions made 6 for their next eight to close out the first quarter. 

Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) started the game shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and scored the first 10 of the 20 points for the Lions. She had 11 in the first half, adding a free throw. 

Northwestern State’s Candice Parramore, the reigning Southland Player of the Week, was held to 12 points in Thursday’s game, but she scored 13 just in the first half on Saturday. 

The Lions led by as much as 11 in the second quarter, but the Lady Demons fought back and took the lead in the third quarter, at 40-38. They’re first since 8-6 in the first quarter. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) scored seven of the Lions’ first 11 in the third quarter. 

Northwestern State did not have a made three-pointer in the first quarter but made five in the third quarter on its way to outscoring A&M-Commerce, 25-13, in the quarter to lead 55-44, which was its largest lead of the game with a three right before the end of the quarter. 

Parramore knocked down three shots from a distance and scored 11 in the third quarter. She played all 40 minutes in the game. The Lions trailed for the majority of the second half but made it a one-possession game twice in the final minute and had a chance to tie the game, trailing 69-66, but a turnover gave the ball back to the Lady Demons, who knocked down both free throws. 

The Lions shot 11 for 23 at the line for a free throw percentage of 47.8 in the game, which is the first time the Lions have shot 50 percent below since November 25, 2018, against Southeastern Oklahoma State. 

Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) led the way for the Lions with 18 points on 7 for 12 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 from a distance. She also led the team with nine rebounds. Beaty and Kernal scored 11 each while battling foul trouble. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) and Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) scored ten each. Russell and Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas) recorded three steals each. 

Parramore scored 26 for the Lady Demons, and 13 came at the line, converting 13 of her 15 opportunities on the line. No other Northwestern State player scored in double digits. Jasmin Dixon added nine rebounds. 

The Lions shot 18 for 26 in the second half and outscored the Lady Demons 22-16 in the fourth quarter. Northwestern State shot 36.2 percent in the game and forced 21 turnovers. The Lady Demons had the 38-36 edge in rebounding and scored 25 points off turnovers.

UP NEXT

The Lions are at home for two straight games, hosting New Orleans on Thursday at 5:30 pm and Southeastern on Saturday at 2:00 pm.

Lion Men’s Basketball falls at Northwestern State.

NATCHITOCHES, La. – In the second meeting between the two teams in less than 48 hours, the Northwestern State Demons defended home court by beating the Texas A&M University-Commerce by 72-64 on Saturday at Prather Coliseum. 

The Demons won both games this week over the Lions and improved to 10-3 in Southland Conference, remaining in first place. They are 18-8 overall. The Lions are 11-15 overall and now 7-5 in conference play, losing their last two. 

Northwestern State grabbed a slim 9-8 lead with 16:02 left in the first half. The Lions followed with a 9-0 run to grab a seven-point lead at the 13:34 mark of the first. NSU tied the game at 19 and took the lead as big as seven in the first half. There were six lead changes in the first half. 

Demarcus Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) scored 13 in the first half for the Lions, who shot 48 percent from the field. Northwestern State led 42-36 at the break and shot 46 percent. 

The Demons led for the entire second half, but the Lions did pull to within one twice. Both times, Northwestern State was able to score on the other end. In the final minute of the game, the Lions had the ball down three, but they could not get the game-tying shot in, and Northwestern State converted an and-one on the other end to go back up by six. 

Demonia scored 17 points and six rebounds. JJ Romer Rosario (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) scored 13 and a team-best seven rebounds, while Khaliq Abdul-Mateen (Cy-Lakes) added 11 points. 

Jerome Brewer, Jr. (Camden, N.J.) blocked four shots, the only four by either team in the game. Alonzo Dodd (St. Paul, Minn.) and Alex Peavy (San Antonio – Smithson Valley) dished out three assists each. 

The Lions outshot the Demons 46.0 percent to 45.9 percent. Demarcus Sharp and Ja’Monta Block scored 18 points each for the Demons.

UP NEXT

Two games await in the Field House for the Lions next weekend. They host New Orleans on Thursday at 8:00 pm for Hugo Cabrera Night and Southeastern on Senior Day at 4:30 pm on Saturday. 

10-run second inning propels Aggies over Lions

COLLEGE STATION- A 10-run second inning powered the Texas A&M Aggies to an 11-0 win in five innings over the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team on Saturday at the Davis Diamond. 

Saturday was the first time any A&M-Commerce team played Texas A&M since moving up to Division I. As a result, the Lions drop to 0-3 on the season, while the Aggies remain perfect at 5-0. The two teams meet again on Sunday afternoon to close out the Aggie Classic. 

“This has been a great experience to go against top competition and continue to grow and learn about ourselves and build our culture,” said coach Brittany Miller.  

After a scoreless first inning, the Aggies plated ten runs in the second inning on six hits. Riley Valentine drove in the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly, and Amari Harper drove in another on an RBI double. 

The extensive damage came off the bats of Koko Wooley and Julia Cottrill, who hit back-to-back home runs. Wooley hit a three-run inside-the-park home run, and Cottrill followed with a solo home run to left center. 

Following the two home runs, Texas A&M drew two walks, and then Keely Williams drove in another run with a single up the middle. Finally, Valentine pushed the game over the run rule with a three-run home run. In total, 13 Aggie batters came to the plate in the second. 

The Aggies were held scoreless in the third as well. Then, in the fourth, Paige Lott hit a solo home run to the left. 

The first 12 batters in the game retired for the Lions. Diamond Sefe (Carson, Calif.) broke up the perfect match with a lead-off walk, and then Elizabeth Guerrero (International School of Americas) single to right to end the no-hit bid. Sefe and Guerrero moved to second and third on a wild pitch with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game in five. 

Shaylee Ackerman got the complete game win for the Aggies. She struck out nine and allowed the two baserunners in the fifth. 

For the Lions, Anissa Arredondo (San Antonio – Warren) got charged with the loss. She allowed four earned runs in 1.2 innings on two hits and two walks. Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) tossed 2.1 innings, allowing five earned runs and striking out five. 

UP NEXT

The Lions conclude the Aggie Classic on Sunday against Tarleton at 11:30 am and Texas A&M at 2:00 pm.

Lions close out Tyson Invitational.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field team completed an eventful weekend on Saturday at the Tyson Invitational. Unfortunately, a school record and several season-bests fell for the Lions this weekend in Arkansas and at the Howie Ryan Invitational on Friday. 

You can find the full results of the Tyson Invitational HERE. 

“We are really proud of our group this weekend,” said coach George Pincock. “We are very happy with what we saw overall, it was not perfect by any means, but the highlights are obviously J.T. Smith’s performance in the 60-meter dash yesterday and other performances in Houston.” 

Delan Edwin (Castries, Saint Lucia) timed 21.12 in the 200-meter dash to finish ninth overall. The men’s 4×400 meter relay team shaved off a second on their best time of the season by timing 3:13.62 on Saturday. Eddie Barrientes (Chisholm Trail), Connor Stockerl (The Woodlands), Philip Krenek (Kostelní Strimelice, Czech Republic), and Ziphio Reevey (Ocean Township, N.J.) competed in the relay for the Lion men. 

Stockerl timed 22.30 seconds in the 200-meter dash, and Leah Pettis (McKinney North) timed 24.88 seconds in the women’s race. 

Pincock added, “We have talked as a team and are committed to learning from what went wrong and perfecting what went right as we gear up for the conference championships in two weeks.” 

UP NEXT

The Lions return to Arkansas to conclude the regular season portion of the indoor season on Friday at the Arkansas Invitational.