COMMERCE – The fifth-seeded Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team used a sixth inning rally to defeat fourth-seeded Colorado Mesa 3-1 in an elimination game of the NCAA Division II South Central Tournament, then saw its second game suspended to Saturday.
 
The Lions are now 31-17 and are set to resume game nine – an elimination game – against top-seeded Oklahoma Christian at 10 a.m. Saturday. The winner of that game will face second-seeded West Texas A&M at noon in the championship game. If the Lions or Eagles defeat the Lady Buffs in that game, a final game will be played after that.
 
In a low-scoring game against Mesa, the Lions struck first in the second inning. Chealsea Slider (Texarkana – Texas High) laced a triple to right field and scored on a groundout by Jasmine Mott (Emory – Rains) for a 1-0 Lion lead.
 
The Mavs tied the game in the top of the fourth after a pair of walks and a miscue in the field, but reliever Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated) induced a pair of popouts to leave the bases loaded in a 1-1 tie game.
 
A&M-Commerce left runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth, then broke through in the sixth. Slider led off with a single, Mott replaced her with a fielder's choice, Uxua Modrego (Burlada, Spain) walked, and Kimber Qualls (Humble – Atascocita) was hit by a pitch to loade the bases with two outs.
 
Ta'Lyn Moody (Mansfield – Legacy) then stepped to the plate a smoked a ball to shortstop. She beat the throw to first to plate one run, and another scored on an errant throw for a 3-1 Lion lead.
 
Colorado Mesa was able to get one runner on base with a single in the seventh, but Otto induced a final popout to keep the Lions' tournament alive and send the Mavericks back to Grand Junction.
 
Otto relieved Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy), and the duo combined to allow one run on two hits. LeBlanc went 3.1 innings and was charged with the run despite allowing no hits. She struck out four and walked two. Otto moved to 14-6 on the season in 3.2 innings of scoreless relief on two hits with two strikeouts.
 
Moody went 3-for-4 in the game and Slider was 2-for-3.
 
In the OC game, one Eagle walked and was caught stealing and no Lions reached base in the first inning before rainy conditions made the evening unplayable.