DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Emily Otto registered program-record 13 strikeouts on Sunday morning against the Davis & Elkins Senators as the No. 22 ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team shut out the Senators, 11-0, at the Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
 
Otto (Lamar Consolidated) needed one more strikeout in the seventh to break the previous record of 12, which was done by teammate, Alyssa LeBlanc twice last season. She punched out the final hitter of the game to get her 13^th strikeout. The Lions improve to 7-4 on the season, while dropping the Senators to 0-7.

"Not only did our hitters show up to play today, but so did Emily Otto with a record setting 13 strikeouts," said interim head coach Gay McNutt. "I cannot say enough about the bat of Ayanna Williams hitting two monstrous bombs today. This great team effort sends us back to Texas feeling much better."
 
Offensively, Ayanna Williams (Round Rock – Cedar Ridge) had two three-run home runs. The Lions stole nine bases, which are tied for second most in program history and most since 2017.
 
Otto struck out the first six batters of the game, a fielding error broke up the perfect game in the third, but she got two more strikeouts in the third. She struck out all three batters in the fourth inning as well.
 
The Lions left two runners, at second and third, to end the first inning, but scored their first run of the day in the second. Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.) drew a walk in the second, she stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence). A&M-Commerce had two more runners on base in the second, but both were stranded.
 
Leo Terry (Emory – Rains) singled to start the fifth, she stole second, and touched home plate on a triple by Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy). The Lions had runners on second and third with one out and had the bases loaded with two outs, but the Senators did not allow another run.
 
The Senators broke up Otto's no-hit bid in the fifth inning on a single by Honesty Holt, she moved to second on a second on a walk drawn by Trinity Cossette with one out. Otto collected her 12^th punch out and caused a fly out to end the threat.
 
Williams slammed a three-run home run to left center in the sixth inning to make it 5-0. MacKenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig – East Central) singled to start the inning, she stole second, and advanced to third on a single by Terry. Williams followed Terry with her first home run as a Lion.
 
The Senators put two on base with one out in the sixth, and moved them to second and third with two outs. Otto forced a ground out to preserve the shutout.
 
Anguiano singled through the left side to start the fifth, Uxua Modrego (Burlada, Spain) reached based on a walk. Both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) and Anguiano scored on a single by Dugi. Schaefer drove in Modrego and Dugi with a two-run double to left center.
 
Destiny Whitburn (Dodd City – Ector) pinch ran for Schaefer and moved to third on a single by Terry. Both runners came around to score an another three-run home run by Williams. This was one was to right center. LeBlanc looked to continue the inning with a single, but the Senators got the next two outs to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Davis & Elkins started the inning with a walk, but a line out double play cleared the bases and Otto struck out Mia Ely to end the game for her 13^th strikeout.  
 
Terry and Dugi had three stolen bases each, Anguiano, Williams, and Avery Boley (Fort Worth – Nolan Catholic) stole one base each. Williams had six RBIs on two hits, Schaefer had three RBIs on two hits as well. Terry went 3 for 4 and Dugi went 3 for 3.
 
Otto allowed just two hits and two walks. She picks up her fourth win of the season. Haley Grindstaff was among five pitchers used by the Senators. She had the start and got the losing decision as well, going 1.2 innings, walking four, and allowing a run.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions head to Canyon next weekend to play five games against teams from RMAC in the West Texas A&M Invitational. A&M-Commerce is slated to face Fort Lewis at 12:30 p.m. and Northern State at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.