COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team endured a long weather delay and rallied from a five-run deficit to pick up a 6-5 win over Tarleton State, earning a sweep in the opening Lone Star Conference series of the season.
 
The Lions are now 10-1 overall and 3-0 in the LSC, while the TexAnns are now 12-3 overall and 2-3 in LSC action.
 
The Lions will remain at the top of the LSC for at least a week, as they are out of conference play next weekend. A&M-Commerce travels to Central Oklahoma for a doubleheader Thursday, followed by a three-game Saturday-Sunday series at Missouri Southern State.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Kinsie Hebler went 3-for-3 with a solo homerun and also picked up the win in the circle, allowing one earned run in 2.0 innings of relief. She moves her record to 2-0 on the season.
- Ciera Nunez went 2-for-4 on the day with a two-run single.
- Mariah Jameyson smashed the game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth.
- Emily Otto got the start in the circle and eventually earned the save by getting the final two outs with the bases loaded. She allowed three earned runs on four hits in 3.2 innings of work.
- Tarleton had eight hits to the Lions six in the game. All of the Tarleton runs came in on homeruns.
- A&M-Commerce turned two double plays in the game, both to end innings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions threatened first after Nunez drew a leadoff walk and Hebler singled up the middle. A stolen base put two runners in scoring position with one out, but a runner was cut down at the plate on a fielder's choice and a hard-hit ball up the middle was speared by the pitcher to keep the Lions off the board.
 
Tarleton put up the game's first run in the top of the second when Georgia Capell hit a leadoff homer to centerfield to give the guests a 1-0 lead. The TexAnns extended their lead to 2-0 with another solo homer with one out in the top of the third.
 
The game entered a rain delay in the top of the fourth, and after a 4-hour, 39-minute break, Tarleton's Karli Herron immediately hit a 3-run homer to left-center to give the TexAnns a 5-0 lead.
 
The Lions cut into the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Vanessa Avina and Jodie Hill drew consecutive walks and advanced to into scoring position on a wild pitch. Nunez smashed a single back off of the pitcher's glove to bring home both baserunners and narrow the deficit to 5-2.
 
Hebler opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a monstrous homerun down the left field line, cutting the lead to 5-3. After a strikeout, the Lions drew three straight walks. A runner scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 5-4, but A&M-Commerce would leave the bases full.
 
Hebler started the go-ahead rally in the bottom of the sixth by working a one-out walk. Jameyson smashed a homer to the berm in left-center in the next at bat to give the Lions a 6-5 lead.
 
The Lions did have to sweat out the seventh inning, as the TexAnns loaded the bases with one out on a single and two walks. Otto re-entered the game and struck out a batter and induced a flyout to end the game