Commerce, Texas –
Luci Ponce turned in the biggest performance in the brief history of the A&M-Commerce softball program going 3-for-7 with eight RBI with a grand slam in game one and the game-tying three-run bomb in game two to lift the Lions to a pair of wins, 9-4 and 5-4, over Texas A&M International afternoon at the John Cain Family Softball Field Tuesday afternoon.
With weather moving into the Commerce area and the Lions facing a 4-1 deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning, Ponce came to the plate with runners on second and third and no outs. Ponce deposited a 1-2 pitch over the fence to knot the game at four.
Baylea Higgs followed with a single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Monica Cherry. Higgs stole third, but the throw from the Dustdevils' catcher went into left field and Higgs scampered how for what held up to the be the game winning run when the game was called due to weather in the bottom of the fifth.
Emma Neuweiler picked up her first win of the season after working two thirds of an inning in relief of starter Rima who gave up three runs in four and a third innings. Nueweiler entered the game in the top of the fifth with one out and the bases loaded. Nueweiler surrendered a bases clearing triple to Alyssa Acuna. Acuna came around and scored the fourth run of the game for the Dustdevils following an RBI single off the bat of Chelsea Capellolf.
In game one, Ponce's heroics came in the bottom of the third inning with A&M-Commerce trailing 4-2. With two outs and the bases full of Lions, Ponce forever etched her name in the Lion softball record book with the program's first grand slam to give the Lions a 6-4 lead.
The Lions added three more runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Aundria Romero and Cherry hit solo shots in the fourth and fifth respectively. It was the second home runs on the season for the duo. Ponce drove in her fifth RBI of the game with an RBI single for the Lions last run in the sixth to give A&M-Commerce the 9-4 come-from-behind win.
Hitting in the leadoff spot and second spot in the lineup, Ponce and Cherry combined to go 5-for-8 with eight RBI and two runs scored. Ponce was 2-for-5 with her five RBI, while Cherry turned in a 2-for-3 performance with three RBI. Higgs had three hits in four at bats and crossed the plate twice.
Romero turned in her team-high fourth complete game to earn in the win in the circle. She gave up four runs and struck out six Dustdevils.
Ponce's five RBI in game one is the highest runs batted in total for a Lion through the first 13 games of the season. She leads the team with 18 RBI and four home runs.
Fans can follow all the action from the 2014-15 season on www.LionAthletics.com, through twitter @Lion_Athletics and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LionsAthletics.
