Commerce, Texas – Courtney Moore turned in a magnificent pitching performance despite an A&M-Commerce 2-1 loss in game one of the doubleheader, and Selena Rima followed with a run rule shortened complete-game three hitter in the Lions 8-0 win in game two against Texas Woman's Friday afternoon in the first two games of a four-game Lone Star Conference series against the Pioneers at the John Cain Family Softball Field.
 
The duo, Moore and Rima, allowed just seven hits and two runs in 12 innings of work for the Lions during the two games.
 
The Lions started game two off with a bang in the form the second grand slam in A&M-Commerce softball history.  Aundria Zunigia-Romero drilled a 0-1 pitch over the fence in right center for her fifth homer of the season and first grand slam.  Zunigia-Romero plated December Rivers, Tyler Oppenheim and Magen Lynch, who all reached on walks. 
 
The Lions continued the pressure with a run in the second inning and two runs in the third inning. In the second inning, Rivers drove home Monica Cherry with a sacrifice fly to left, and in the third inning, Cherry scored Johnna Sturm with a sac fly. Oppenheim beat out an infield single to score Kylene Hatton, the second run of the third inning, and to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.
 
A&M-Commerce pushed the eighth run of the game across on a solo shot off the bat of Sturm in the bottom of the fourth inning, while Rima completed the five-inning shutout after working out of minor jam in the top of the fifth to secure the run-rule win.
 
Rima improved to 4-4 on the season after allowing only three hits in her second complete shutout.
 
Offensively for the Lions, Sturm went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and RBI, while Oppenheim had two hits in her two plate appearances with an RBI and a run scored.  Romero drove in four runs with the grand slam marking the second time this season the junior has driven in four runs. 
 
In game one, the Pioneers got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third after Laura Mabary reached on a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mabary came around to score on a perfectly placed single into center off the bat of Kendra Sancet.
 
The Lions answered in the bottom half of the inning after Lynch reached on an infield single just over Tori Bice's head in the circle. TWU left second base uncovered on the play and Lynch aggressively rounded first, but scampered back once the Pioneers recovered. The throw back to first was wide and Lynch moved to second.  Oppenheim followed with an infield single to short to move Lynch to third.  Luci Ponce roped a ball into left field that was caught, but Lynch tagged and scored on the play to tie the game at one.  Bice buckled down and retired the final two batters in the inning to avoid further damage after Oppenheim stole second to put herself in scoring position.
 
TWU's Nicole Nordie earned a two-out, full count walk in the top of the fifth. Nordie stole on the second pitch to Mabary and was originally called out following a perfect throw from Rivers, who launched the ball to second from her knees. However, the original out caught stealing call was overturned and the Lions, who had scampered off the field, were recalled from the dugout as the inning was allowed to continue. Mabary took the next pitch back up the middle for the two-out RBI single to give the Pioneers a 2-1 lead.
 
With the Pioneers looking to increase their lead with a two outs and a runner on second, Tealey Farquhar singled to center, but Baylea Higgs came up throwing and gunned down the TWU runner trying to score from second. Rivers caught the throw from Higgs on the first base side and dove back across the plate to apply the tag.
 
Oppenheim led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and after a fly ball out, Rivers followed with single back up the middle.  The runners move to second and third on a groundball to second, bringing Zunigia-Romero to plate with two outs.  Zunigia-Romero drilled a 2-1 pitch to deep left only for the ball to get knocked down by the wind and caught at the warning track to end the game.
 
Brice got the win in the circle for the Pioneers after the complete-game five hitter. Bice struck out five batters and stranded 11 Lions on base.  She held the Lions three, four and five hitters to a combined 1-for-10 with three strikeouts. 
 
For the Lions Courtney Moore, took the loss falling to 2-4 overall after her fourth complete game of the season. Moore was splendid going all seven innings allowing only four hits – matching her lowest hit total in game she has started this season.  Moore, who leads the Lions in ERA, lowered her season ERA down to 2.62 despite the loss.
 
Oppenheim paced the Lions at the plate with two hits in three at bats and was the lone Lion with multiple hits in game one.  After following up with two hits in game two, Oppenheim now has five multiple hit games on the season.
 
The two teams will complete the four-game LSC set Saturday with a twinbill starting at 1 p.m. at the John Cain Family Softball Field.
 
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.