Commerce, Texas – The A&M-Commerce softball team did what no team has done this season, hand No. 1 West Texas A&M a loss after the Lions took down the Lady Buffs 6-4 in game one of the two-game Lone Star Conference set Saturday.
 
West Texas evened the series with a 5-2 win in game two of Saturday's twin bill.
 
Game 1: A&M-Commerce 6, No. 1 West Texas A&M 4
Turning Point
After WT took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Lions answered with a four-run bottom half of the frame all with two outs. With runners on first and second, Johnna Sturm hit a high fly ball to left that was dropped by the Lady Buff outfielder allowing Cherie Jackson and Luci Ponce to score on the play. The Lions went on to add two more runs in the inning to take a 4-1 lead after after the first.
 
Inside the Box Score
Monice Cherry led the Lions at the plate after going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
Kylene Hatton had two hits in her three trips to the plate.
 
Selena Rima scattered 11 hits in six innings of work, but held the NCAA's leader in runs per game to only four while securing her 10th win of the season.
 
Dean came on to record her third save of the season after working the seventh inning. Dean struck out two of the four batters she faced.
 
The West Texas A&M loss was the Lady Buffs' first of the season. A&M-Commerce has knocked off the No. 1 ranked team for the second straight season after topping then ranked No. 1 WT, 10-6, on March 21, 2015.
 
Summary
1st Inning
WT took a 1-0 with a run to open the game on an RBI single, but the Lions answered with four runs on three hits and one crucial WT error to take a 4-1 lead. Sturm was the benefactor of the RBI when her two-out fly ball to left was dropped.  Jackson and Ponce came around to score on the play. Haley Colwell followed with an RBI single to right, and Cherry drove in Colwell with an RBI double to right scoring the final run of the inning for the Lions.
 
2nd Inning
A&M-Commerce stretched its lead out to a 5-1 when Luci Ponce reached on fielder's choice bringing in Hatton, who reached on a single, on the play.
 
3rd Inning
The Lion lead hit 6-1 when Ciera Nunez reached on an error scoring Colwell. Colwell opened the inning with a walk.
 
6th Inning
West Texas chipped into the Lion lead with solo homer and an RBI double cutting the margin down to 6-3.
 
7th Inning
The Lady Buffs threaten in the seventh with a pair of singles and an RBI double, but Dean settled in and struck out the final two batters to give A&M-Commerce the, 6-4, upset win.
 
Game 2: A&M-Commerce 2, No. 1 West Texas A&M 5
Turning Point
With West Texas leading 2-1, the Lady Buffs tacked on three runs to take a 5-1 lead on the Lions.
 
Inside the Box Score
Colwell led the Lions with two hits in her three trips to plate including a double.  She was the lone Lion to turn in a multi-hit game.
 
Dean was saddled with the loss after five and thirds innings of work. She struck out seven batters matching the season-high for the Lions.
 
Summary
1st Inning
West Texas opened the scoring in game two with an RBI single.
 
5th Inning
WT added another run in the fifth, but A&M-Commerce answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Nunez and Baylea Higgs led off the inning with singles and Hatton loaded the bases when she was hit by a pitch. After an out on a fielder's choice, Ponce hit a fly ball to short left field. The WT left fielder could not come up with the catch on the fly ball, but knocked the ball to second to record an out. Higgs crossed the plate on the play to cut the WT lead down to 2-1.
 
6th Inning
West Texas opened the game up with three runs on three hits highlighted by an RBI single. The Lions pushed cross their second run of the game when Colwell hit a double to right. Sturm, who walked to start the inning, moved to third on the play. She scored on an illegal pitch, but the Lions left Colwell stranded at third as WT held on for the 5-2 win.
 
What's Next?
The two teams will decide the series Sunday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. back in the John Cain Family Softball Field.
 
Fans can follow all the action from the 2015-16 season on www.LionAthletics.com, through twitter @Lion_Athletics and also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LionsAthletics.