COMMERCE– The No. 14 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team defeated Western New Mexico twice on Thursday afternoon. The Lions won the first game 13-3 and the second game 21-1. The Lions hit seven home runs over the course of the two games.
 
The wins bring the Lions to 24-9 on the season and 12-5 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs fall to 4-20 and 3-11 in conference play.
 
The teams will meet again in the final game of the series on Friday at 1 p.m. The game will be played at the John Cain Family Softball Field. Tickets to the game are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, by calling (903) 468-8756, by visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House or by purchase at the gates.
 
HEAD COACH RICHIE BRUISTER AFTER THE GAME
- On the offensive production: "They did their job today. We've been preaching getting good pitches and hitting them hard. We did that today."
- On the play of Kimber Neal: "She did a good job with where the pitches were thrown to hit them hard. I was very proud of her today. To have four home runs is an awesome day. It's very hard to do that. I'm proud of what she did at the plate."
- On the defensive performance: "It starts in the circle. Otto came in in the first game and closed the door and gave our offense a chance to get back in the ball game. Then Otto had a great start in game two and went out and did her job."
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
- Kimber Neal (Humble – Atascocita) had a pair of home runs, driving in four RBIs.
- Vanessa Muro (Oak Hills, Calif.) had a grand slam and an RBI single.
- Kayla Kilcrease (Kerens) had an RBI double and scored twice. Bri Sims (Rowlett) and Avery Boley (Fort Worth – Nolan Catholic) both brought in runs on sacrifice flies.
- Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence) had two hits and scored twice. Allie Thompson (Lindale), Jodie Hill (Heavener, Okla.), Vanessa Avina (Haltom City) and Da'Jia Davis (Hillsboro – Midway) joined Sims and Boley in crossing home plate once.
- Katie Dean (Whitesboro) started the game, striking out three batters. Emily Otto (Richmond - Lamar Consolidated) finished the game, striking out four and earning the win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
Kilcrease walked and scored on an error to give the Lions the lead in the first inning. The Mustangs countered with a pair of home runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead after two complete.
 
It was all Lions from then on as the offense began to click. After a single by Sims and a double by Schaefer, a Muro single and a Boley sacrifice fly brought in two runs to tie the game at three after three complete.
 
Otto came in in the fourth inning and struck out two batters to strand base runners. The Lions then scored 10 runs in the bottom half to seal the win. Neal led off with a home run and also hit a three-run homer later in the inning. Vanessa Muro also had a grand slam in the inning. The Lions also had an RBI hit from Kilcrease and a sacrifice fly from Sims. Otto struck out two more in the fifth and the Lions won in shortened fashion.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
- Kimber Neal had two more home runs, including a grand slam, in the second game. She had seven RBIs and scored three times.
- Madison Schaefer had three hits and four RBIs. She also scored twice.
- Bri Sims and Kinsie Hebler (Cypress – Cy Fair) also had homers in the game. Sims had three RBIs in the game and scored twice.
- Kayla Kilcrease scored four runs and had an RBI. Vanessa Muro and Avery Boley also both had an RBI.
- Ciera Nunez (Amarillo – Randall), Jodie Hill, Da'Jia Davis, Avery Markley (Murphy – Plano East), Chealsea Slider (Texarkana – Texas HS) and Allie Thompson also scored runs.
- Emily Otto pitched the first four innings, striking out five to get her 16th win of the season. Alexis Velasquez (Amarillo – River Road) pitched the final inning, recording a strikeout.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
The Lions got started right away in game two, scoring four runs in the first without a hit. Two runs scored on a hit by pitch and a sacrifice fly accompanied by a WNMU throwing error brought two more runs in.
 
Hebler hit a solo homer in the second and Sims had a two-run homer to push the Lion lead to seven. Kilcrease had an RBI single and Schaefer had an RBI double in the third inning, giving the Lions a 11-0 lead entering the fourth inning.
 
WNMU brought in its lone run in the top of the fourth before the Lions took off again, scoring 10 more in the bottom of the fourth. Neal had a three run home run and a grand slam in the inning. Sims had an RBI double and Schaefer added an RBI single. Velasquez entered to pitch in the fifth and struck out the final batter to end the game early.