COMMERCE— The No. 14 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team returns to Lone Star Conference action with a three-game home stand against No. 6 Angelo State.
 
WHO: No. 14 Texas A&M-Commerce (35-5, 20-4 LSC) vs. No. 6 Angelo State (38-6, 20-4 LSC)
WHERE: John Cain Family Softball Complex in Commerce, Texas
WHEN: Friday, April 20 at 4 & 6 p.m., Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE WEBCAST: lionathletics.com/live
 
The Lions are coming off of a sweep of Western New Mexico. The Lions scored 58 runs in those three games with 18 home runs, including 10 homers from the heart of the order. Head coach Richie Bruister was happy to see his team perform so well on the offensive side of the ball.
 
"It was one of those weekends where everything was going right offensively," he said. "Western New Mexico has a good pitching staff. When you go back and look at some of the games they have played, they have been very close with some of the better teams [in the conference]. They had an opportunity to beat Angelo and played well against WT. You knew going in that you had to put up some runs. Obviously, we did that. We made them pay for their mistakes. Our table setters were on base to have the three-run home runs and the grand slams to put up those big numbers."
 
The Lion defense also benefitted from the return of Lacie Bullard, who pitched two games in the series, winning both. Bruister was excited to see her get back in the circle for the first time in nearly two months.
 
"She is still rehabbing right now," he said. "We are trying to get her ready. I don't know if she will see a lot of time this weekend but it is nice to see her getting back on the field and trying to get back to where she was. It was a good opportunity to get her in at Western."
 
The Lions now face No. 6 Angelo State. The teams are tied for first place in the conference standings with an identical 20-4 record and ASU is ranked No. 3 in the regional rankings, one spot ahead of A&M-Commerce. Bruister knows the series is important and his teams understands the opportunity it has if it can take care of home field against a tough, veteran Rambelle squad.
 
"It is a great opportunity where we are," Bruister said. "It is exciting for our program, being as young as we are, to be able to have a chance to play for a conference championship and to be nationally ranked. We are certainly happy this late in the season to be where we are."
 
Bruister knows it will be tough to beat ASU. The Rambelles made it all the way to the Division II Championship series last year and many of those players returned to the team. He sees this as an opportunity for his young program to show what it can do.
 
"It is a battle every time we play," Bruister said when asked about ASU. "They have been-there-done-that. Last year they were in the National Championship and had an opportunity to win. They know what it takes to get the job done. We are new at it. It is the first time for our players. But the exciting part of that is we have an opportunity to play for a conference championship. A lot of programs can't say that.
 
"I'm happy for our players and our Lion fans. For us to have an opportunity right now, it is a great experience. Our girls are excited about that and looking forward to the opportunity. It is a great position for our program to be in right now."
 
Admission to all three games is free for Lion fans who show a local ID.