COMMERCE – The No. 9 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team held on for a 5-2 win over Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the opening game of the Lone Star Conference series at the John Cain Family Softball Complex on Friday night.
 
The Lions move to 26-3 overall and 11-2 in the LSC with the win, while the Javelinas fall to 17-16 overall and 7-9 in LSC play.
 
The two teams will meet for a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. on Local Heroes Day.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mariah Jameyson went 3-for-3 at the plate for the Lion, who collected eight hits to the Javelinas' four.
- Baylea Higgs, Kinsie Hebler, Monica Cherry, Kayla Kilcrease, and Jodie Hill each had one hit for the Lions.
- Jameyson and Hill each hit homeruns for the Lions. Seven of the Lions' eight hits were extra base hits, as Cherry hit a triple and Higgs, Hebler, Jameyson, and Kilcrease doubled.
- Katie Dean moved her record to 11-1 on the season, allowing two earned runs on four hits, walking three and striking out none.
- Selena Rima earned her third save of the year, coming into the game with the bases loaded and none out and getting out of the game without allowing a run.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, the Lions opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. Jameyson led off the frame with a single up the middle and came home on Cherry's triple to the gap in right-center.
 
Jameyson personally extended the Lion lead in the bottom of the fourth, leading off the frame by blasting her 13^th homerun of the season to the berm in dead centerfield to push the host's advantage to 2-0.
 
Hill doubled the Lion advantage with two out in the bottom of the fourth. The sophomore smashed her fifth homer of the season to left field with a runner on base, extending the lead to 4-0.
 
Dean carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning when the Javelinas rallied. The guests loaded the bases with one out and a pinch hit single by Delila Gillespie scored a run to cut the lead to 4-1. After a runner left early, Dean induced a foul out to minimize the damage.
 
The Lions immediately pushed the margin back to four runs in the bottom of the fifth as Hebler led off with a frozen rope double to force a pitching change. Jameyson welcomed the new pitcher with an RBI double to center, giving the Lions a 5-1 lead.
 
A&M-Kingsville brought a run back in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly after a leadoff double, making it a 5-2 contest.
 
The Javelinas brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh inning with none out, as the guests loaded the bases. Rima came into the game and induced a double play ball back to the circle followed by a foul out to lock down the victory.