COMMERCE – The No. 12 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team took both ends of a doubleheader over St. Edward's University on Sunday evening, clinching the third seed in the Lone Star Conference Championships.

The Lions took a 4-1 game one victory, with a 6-1 win in the second game. A&M-Commerce wraps up the regular season at 28-15 overall and 21-9 in the LSC, while St. Edward's completes the regular season at 16-20 overall and 12-18 in league play.
 
A&M-Commerce is the third seed in next week's LSC Championship, which will be played at Oklahoma Christian. The Lions will play sixth-seeded Texas A&M International in the quarterfinals of the single-elimination tournament at 11 a.m. Friday. The semifinal would be at 4 p.m. Friday, with the championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday. [CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL]
 
GAME ONE
Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated) pitched another complete game and clutch late hitting pushed the Lions to the 4-1 win.
 
Otto moved her record to 13-5 on the season, allowing one run on five hits while striking out eight and walking three.
 
Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) went 2-for-3,  driving in the first run of the game, and scoring the game-winning run.
 
The Lions' first run came in the third inning, when Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence) walked, stole second and third, then scored on Dutton's double. Schaefer had tripled earlier in the game.
 
The Hilltoppers tied the game in the fifth, when Genisa Marrero-Carter hit a bases loaded single with two outs, but a potential go-ahead run was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw by Dutton and excellent tag by Avery Boley (Fort Worth – Nolan Catholic).
 
The Lions regained the lead in the sixth, when Dutton singled with one out and scampered home on a Jasmine Mott (Emory – Rains) double. Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy) plated a run when she reached on an error, and Chealsea Slider (Texarkana – Texas High) pushed the score to 4-1 with an RBI double.
 
Otto allowed a leadoff single in the seventh, but a flyout, strikeout, and groundout quickly ended the contest in the Lions' favor.
 
GAME TWO
LeBlanc struck out 10 and allowed one run on four hits, as big innings pushed the Lions to the sweep. LeBlanc moved to 15-10 on the season with the victory.
 
Schaefer and Dutton led off the game with walks, then executed a double steal for the first run. Schaefer had three steals in the first inning. LeBlanc then plated Dutton on a dropped fly ball that went as a sacrifice for an early 2-0 lead.
 
St. Edward's had multiple baserunners in the first and third innings, but the Lion defense shut down those chances. LeBlanc did not allow baserunners in the second, fourth, or fifth.
 
Cally Pausewang (Bastrop – Cedar Creek) led off the fifth with a hard-hit double, which started a Lion rally. Ta'Lyn Moody (Mansfield – Legacy), Kimber Neal (Humble – Atascocita), Dutton, Mott, and LeBlanc all singled in succession, pushing four runs across the plate and edging the lead to 6-0. A double play on a hard-hit ball ended that chance at ending the game early via the run rule.
 
The Hilltoppers scratched across a run in the sixth on a walk, two groundouts, and a single, cutting the lead to five runs. A&M-Commerce loaded the bases in the sixth, but a pair of strikeouts left the bags full.
 
LeBlanc induced a flyout, then struck out the final two Hilltoppers, allowing the Lions to end the regular season in sweeping fashion.