COMMERCE – The No. 9 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team showed mettle against the No. 3 UT Tyler Patriots, but fell in both ends of a Saturday doubleheader.
 
The Lions fell 1-0 in the opener in a pitchers' duel, then dropped an 8-3 decision in the nightcap.
 
The Lions are now 25-14 overall and 18-8 in the Lone Star Conference, while UT Tyler is 33-5 overall and 27-1 in conference play. The Patriots clinched the LSC regular season championship with the wins, but are in their final year of transitioning to Division II and will not qualify for the LSC Tournament.
 
A&M-Commerce has two doubleheaders remaining in the regular season, starting with Monday's 1 p.m. twinbill at Cameron, followed by a Sunday, May 9, 4 p.m. doubleheader at home against St. Edward's.
 
HONOREES
Prior to the first game, four Lions received their degrees, which they could not receive at regular commencement ceremonies due to the game schedule. Kinsie Hebler, Kimber Neal, Emily Otto, and Alexis Velasquez received their degrees from Provost Dr. John Humphreys in the ceremony. Cally Pausewang and Bri Sims were also graduates this weekend, receiving their masters degrees on Friday.
 
Between games, the Lion seniors were recognized, as Kynslee Noriega, Alexis Velasquez, Kimber Neal, Cally Pausewang, Ta'Lyn Moody, Chealsea Slider, and Kinsie Hebler received special gifts from their team for their contributions to Lion Softball.
 
GAME ONE
The Lions dropped the opening game 1-0 in a pitchers' duel. Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated) carried a no-hitter to the sixth inning, but two hard luck plays allowed the Patriots to plate the only run. Otto allowed three hits and four walks, and struck out seven, allowing only the one run.
 
A&M-Commerce had two baserunners on walks, but neither Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) or Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence) were able to score.

In the sixth, Schaefer knocked down a hard-hit ball and another UTT single had runners in scoring position. A floater just out of Otto's reach plated a run on a groundout to provide the game's only run.
 
The Lions were no-hit for the first time in program history in the team's 332^nd game.
 
GAME TWO
A Lion comeback attempt in the fourth inning was neutralized in the fifth as the Patriots won 8-3 in the nightcap.
 
Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig – East Central) went 2-for-2 in the game and Ta'Lyn Moody (Mansfield – Legacy) had a three-run double.
 
UT Tyler opened the scoring in the second on a sacrifice fly, but strong defense by Jasmine Mott (Emory – Rains), Delaney Boley (Fort Worth – Nolan Catholic), and Chealsea Slider (Texarkana – Texas High) turned a double play to cut down any other threats in the inning.
 
In the third, the Patriots pushed the lead to 4-0 with an RBI groundout and a two-run double, and the lead extended to six runs in the fourth with a sacrifice fly and a double steal.
 
The Lions got the offense going in the bottom of the fourth when Kinsie Hebler (Cy-Falls) led off with a single, Slider walked, and Dugi earned an infield single to load the bases. Moody laced a hard-hit ball to left field and plated all three runners with the double, cutting the lead to 6-3.
 
UTT pushed across two more runs in the fifth before Maya Shelby (Sabinal) came in for 2.2 innings of shutdown relief. The Lions had one base hit in the final two innings but could not narrow the margin.