STEPHENVILLE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team split a doubleheader against Tarleton State University on Saturday afternoon. The Lions won the first game 7-5 but lost the second game 3-2 on a walk-off single in extra innings.
 
The Lions are now 10-3 on the season and 2-1 in the Lone Star Conference. The Texanns are 8-6 and 1-2 in conference play.
 
The Lions next have their home opener as they host St. Mary's University for a doubleheader on Saturday. The games will begin at 1 and 3 p.m. at the John Cain Family Softball Complex in Commerce.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mariah Jameyson went 2-for-5 on the day with three runs scored and four runs batted in. She had a three-run homer in game one to give the Lions the lead for good.
- Johnna Sturm got her first homer of the year as she smacked a pitch over the left field fence in the third inning of the first game. She finished the day 2-of-4 with three RBIs.
- Katie Dean picked up a save in the first game and was the losing pitcher in the second game. Selena Rima was the winning pitcher in the first game.
- Baylea Higgs scored two runs and Ciera Nunez, Kinsie Hebler and Precious Thompson each crossed the plate once. Chealsea Slider also had an RBI for the Lions.
- The Lions struck out six times and struck out opposing batters three times.
- The Lions stole eight bases and were not caught stealing.
- TSU had four errors, two in each game. The Lions had just one error, in the first game.
- The Texanns combined for 19 hits while the Lions had 12 hits.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
The Lions started the game with three consecutive groundouts in the left side of the infield. In the bottom of the first, the Texanns jumped on the board quickly. After a groundout by the leadoff hitter, TSU had its second batter reach base on an infield single. Amanda Conner then came to the plate and belted a pitch over the fence in left field to score two runs. The next batter hit a double but the Lion defense took over and got the next two outs to get out of the first inning trailing 2-0.
 
The Lions again went three up and three down in the top of the second inning, this time with three pop ups. In the bottom of the second inning, the first two batters reached on singles, prompting a pitching change. Jones entered the game and got the first batter she faced to fly out. The next batter reached on a walk to load the bases with one out. The Lion infield then made a couple of impressive plays. A pitch was scorched off the bat but Slider charged the ball and threw the ball to home plate for a force out. The next batter chopped a pitch right to Nunez and she threw the batter out at first, stranding three base runners and keeping the Texanns off the board in the second inning. TSU held a 2-0 lead after two.
 
Sturm came to the plate to lead off for the Lions in the top of the third and all she needed was one pitch. She slammed the first pitch she saw all the way over the left field fence and the Lions were on the board in the top of the inning. After the next two batters got out, Nunez drew a walk and had a stolen base but couldn't get around and the Lions trailed 2-1. On the other side of the inning, after a leadoff out, the second batter drew a walk. The next hitter hit the ball at Nunez and she slung it to Slider who touched second and then rifled the ball to Hebler at first for the double play.
 
The Lions got a rally going in the top of the fourth inning. Jameyson drew a walk and Hebler got a single up the middle to get two runners on base with no outs. Kayla Kilcrease then came to the plate and got a single into left field to load the bases with no outs. After a pitching change, Slider came to the plate next and drew a walk to score Jameyson and tie the game. Sturm was next and was hit by a pitch to score another run and the Lions took their first lead. The next batter lined out to the second baseman, who then stepped on the bag and caught the runner before she could get back for a double play. The next batter grounded out to end the top half of the fourth.
 
TSU responded in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. The first batter grounded out. TSU then drew a walk. The next batter hit into a fielder's choice where Slider received a backhanded flip from Nunez to get the second out. The Texanns then went on a rally. After a stolen base and a walk, the next batter singled to center field to score a run. Conner came to the plate next and singled down the right field line, driving in both runners. Rima came in to get the last out and the Lions trailed 5-3 after four innings.
 
Nunez and Higgs both singled and both stole second base to put two runners in scoring position with no outs in the top of the fifth inning. Jameyson then came to the plate and on the fifth pitch lifted the ball up and over the fence in right field to score three runs and give the Lions the lead back. They led 6-5 going into the bottom of the inning.
 
The Texanns got the leadoff batter on and a sacrifice bunt brought her to second base. After the Lions threw out the bunter, the runner tried to get to third and was thrown out for a double play. The Lions got out of the inning with the 6-5 lead intact.
 
Thompson singled to left field to lead off the top of the sixth inning and then stole second base. She advanced to third base on a groundout. With two outs, Higgs reached on an error that allowed Thompson to cross the plate. The Lions led 7-5.
 
The Texanns looked to rally in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff groundout, two of the next three batters singled to put two runners on with two outs. The Lions went to the bullpen and brought in Dean, who got the final batter to groundout and keep the score at 7-5.
 
It was a quick top half of the seventh inning as the Lions went three up and three down. Dean then made quick work of the Texanns in the bottom of the inning, getting three consecutive outs to record the save.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
The Lions didn't waste any time taking the lead. After the first two batters got out, Jameyson and Hebler both drew walks to get on base. Next came Sturm, who smashed a pitch into center field for a double, driving in Jameyson. The Lions led 1-0. In the bottom of the first, Hebler struck out the first batter and the next two were out in the field. The Lions led 1-0 after one.
 
TSU made quick work of the Lions in the top of the second and went to work in the bottom of the second to tie up the score. After Hebler retired two of the first three batters she faced, she then walked the next two to load the bases. The Lions went to the bullpen but a wild pitch from Rima allowed one run to score and the game was tied 1-1 after two innings.
 
Higgs got a leadoff walk and stole second base in the top of the third inning but the next three batters struck out for the Lions. In the bottom of the third, A&M-Commerce got two of the first three batters out but then the Texanns had back-to-back singles, which drove in a run to give TSU a 2-1 lead after three innings.
 
Neither team could get a rally going in the fourth inning. The Lions tied the game in the top of the fifth inning. Higgs tripled to center field and was driven in by Jameyson on a single to right field. The Lions again went to Dean out of the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth inning and a double play groundout ended the fifth with the teams tied at two.
 
Each team got a single in the sixth inning but nothing came of them as defense ruled in the inning and the game was tied going into the seventh. The Lions drew two walks in the top of the inning but could not get the runners around and TSU had one last shot to finish the game in regulation.
 
The first batter grounded out to Dean and then the second batter singled through the left side of the infield. With a runner on, the next batter lined out to first base. Sturm made the grab and then dove for the bag to get the runner before she could tag up and the double play ended the inning.
 
In the first inning of extra innings, Kilcrease singled into right field to lead off. She advanced to second on a groundout but could not get around to score and the Texanns had another shot. This time, they took advantage. After the Lions recorded the first two outs of the eighth inning, the next batter got a single and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. The next batter singled down the left field line and the winning run crossed the plate.