COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team dropped both of their games on Saturday to No. 3 St. Mary's University in their home opener. The Lions lost 6-3 in the first game and 6-5 in the second game.
 
The losses drop the Lions to 10-5 on the season. The Rattlers improve to 16-2 on the year.
 
The Lions return to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader against St. Edward's University. The games are at 3 and 5 p.m. at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Katie Dean recorded eight strikeouts in the first game, a season high for her. It tied her career high.
- Baylea Higgs had three hits in six appearances with two runs scored and a run batted in. She also had three steals.
- Mariah Jameyson went 3-of-6 and drove in two runs. She also stole two bases.
- Kinsie Hebler went 2-of-5, including a solo home run to lead off the second game. She drove in three runs, scored twice and drew three walks.
- Ciera Nunez and Tyler Oppenheim both scored two runs. Chealsea Slider had an RBI.
- The Lions were a perfect 8-of-8 stealing bases and caught StMU in their only steal attempt.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
The Rattlers threatened in the top of the first inning. The first batter drew a walk and then advanced to second base on a groundout. The next batter singled up the middle but a strong throw from the outfield kept the runner from scoring. The runner on first was caught stealing and Dean struck out the batter to get the final out and keep the Rattlers off the board.
 
The Lions got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Hebler and Higgs both drew walks to lead off the inning. Jameyson then came up and hit a blooping single into center, which loaded the bases. After a fielders choice, Slider hit a grounder to first base but it took an odd hop and she reached on the error, scoring Higgs. However, that's all the Lions could do as the next two batters were out.
 
The first two batters were walked in the top of the second inning but then Dean went to work. After Thompson fielded a bunt and threw out the runner at first on a sacrifice bunt, Dean struck out the next two batters and got out of the inning unscathed. The Lions were unable to get anything going in the bottom of the second and still led 1-0 after two.
 
Neither team could get a rally going in the fourth inning. Dean recorded another strikeout and two groundouts in the top of the inning. In the bottom the Lions were also three-up and three-down.
 
After walking the first batter in the top of the inning, Dean got another strikeout to get the first out of the inning. The next two batters reached base and the Dean was in a jam. However, she struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning, to get all three outs with batters standing at the plate. On the other side of the inning, the Lions went three-up and three-down and the Lions still clung to their one-run lead.
 
The Rattlers again threatened in the top of the fifth. After the first two batters grounded out, STMU got back-to-back hits, including a double that just touched fair down the left field line. With runners on second and third, Dean recorded another groundout and got out of the inning.
 
The Lions went to work in the bottom of the fifth. Oppenheim and Nunez both reached on bunt hits and both stole second base, bring two runners in scoring position with no outs. Hebler came up next and singled through the middle of the infield and scored both runners. The Lions had another stolen base in the inning but could not get another runner around and led 3-0 after five innings.
 
Dean recorded another strikeout in the top of the sixth inning and the Rattlers again could not get a rally going. The Lions also struggled in the bottom half of the inning, with all three batters striking out.
 
The Rattlers' offense finally came alive in the top of the seventh inning. To aid StMU, the Lion defense struggled. After recording the first out, the next batter hit a solo shot over the left field fence to get the Rattlers on the board. After two more batters got on base, the Lions recorded the second out but then things started to snowball. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position then back-to-back doubles scored three runs to give StMU their first lead of the game. Another run crossed the plate on an error and StMU had a 6-3 lead.
 
The Lions were unable to get a rally going in the bottom of the seventh and dropped the first game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
After the first two batters were retired in order, the third Rattler batter tripled down the right field line and a runner was in scoring position. However, the next batter grounded out and the Lions escaped the inning.
 
It took no time at all for the Lions to get on the board. Hebler led off and smashed a ball over the left field fence to start the bottom of the first inning for her fourth homer of the season. That was all the Lions could muster and they led 1-0 after the first inning.
 
The Lions recorded three groundouts in the top of the second inning and then built on their lead in the bottom of the inning. Oppenheim reached on a fielder's choice with two outs. She proceeded to steal second and consecutive walks loaded the bases for the Lions. Higgs came to the plate next and through the right side of the field to score two runs. Higgs stole second base to put two runners in scoring position and Jameyson singled up the middle to drive in two more runs. The Lions led 5-0.
 
The Rattlers got on the board in the top of the third inning. After the first two outs, the Rattlers drew a walk and then the next batter reached on an error. Another walk loaded the bases and a double by the next batter brought all base runners to the plate. The Lions were three-up and three-down in the bottom of the inning and led 5-3.
 
StMU had two home runs in the top of the fourth inning, the second a two-run shot to give them their first lead of the second game. The Lions looked to rally and had runners on second and third with two outs but could not get them around and the Lions trailed 6-5 going into the fifth inning.
 
Both teams had errors in the fifth inning to get base runners on but neither team could get a run across and the game was still 6-5 going into the sixth inning.
 
After a leadoff single, the Lion defense buckled down and three groundouts ended the top half of the inning. The Lions had a chance to even up the score in the bottom half of the sixth. After a leadoff strikeout, Higgs singled into center field and Jameyson singled to put two runners on. Both runners advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch but the runners could not get around and the Lions went into the seventh inning trailing by one.
 
After recording three-up and three-down in the top of the inning, the Lions had one final chance to tie the game or take the lead. However, they were retired in order.