CANYON– The No. 15 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team lost 10-2 in five innings to No. 8 West Texas A&M on Friday afternoon. After getting the first two runs of the game, the Lions fell behind and could not come back.
 
The loss brings the Lions to 20-7 on the season and 9-4 in the Lone Star Conference. The Lady Buffs improve to 21-5 and 12-1 in conference play.

The teams will meet again in a doubleheader beginning Saturday at Noon. The games will be played at Schaeffer Park in Canyon.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Jodie Hill (Heavener, Okla.) hit a solo homer in the first inning.
- Kayla Kilcrease (Kerens) also hit a solo homer in the first inning.
- Madison Schaefer (Frisco - Independence) also had a hit.
- Emily Otto (Richmond – Lamar Consolidated) struck out two batters. Katie Dean (Whitesboro) also had a strikeout.
 
HEAD COACH RICHIE BRUISTER AFTER THE GAME
"I felt like we were prepared. We came out in the first inning and had those two back-to-back home runs. But then it got away. Just to sum it up, we have to learn how to play in these big games. We are beating the people we are supposed to beat. But we need to figure out that part. We have to come out here tomorrow. We have another opportunity to play in a big game. Hopefully we make some adjustments that work."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions got the scoring started right off the bat. Hill hit a solo home run to center field. That was followed by a solo homer from Kilcrease to left field. The Lions led 2-0. WT answered back with a leadoff home run. The Lions got two more outs before a hit into right field got away from the fielder. Two runs came across on the inside the park homer. The Lady Buffs led 3-2 after one.
 
Neither team could bring across a run in the second inning. Otto got out of an early jam to keep a leadoff hitter from coming around. The Lions earned two early walks in the third inning and got both runners into scoring position but could not bring a run across.
 
Things snowballed against the Lions in the fourth as WT hit multiple home runs to push their lead even further. A three-run homer in the fifth inning ended the game early.