COMMERCE - The 21st-ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team pounded their way to a pair of run-rule victories over Western New Mexico University on Saturday at the John Cain Family Softball Field.
 
The Lions were 9-1 winners in six innings in the opening game, then took a 12-0 win in five innings in the nightcap.
 
A&M-Commerce moves to 19-5 overall and 5-1 in the Lone Star Conference, while WNMU is now 4-15 overall and 1-5 in league action.
 
The Lions host UT Permian Basin at Noon on Sunday with a quick turnaround.

COACH GAY McNUTT'S POSTGAME COMMENTS
 
GAME 1: No. 21 A&M-Commerce 9, Western New Mexico 1 (6 innings)
Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated) struck out five of the first six batters she faced. Offensively, Alina Jasso (San Benito) led off the bottom of the first with a home run to left field, her second home run in her freshman season.
 
The Lions had another runner at third base with no outs in the first, but the Mustangs retired the next three batters in order to keep it at 1-0 after one. The Lions had runners at second and third with no outs and loaded the bases with one out in the second, but could not get a runner home.
 
Julia Vega drew a walk to lead off the top of the third and moved to second on a single by Trish Gallardo, and she scored on a sacrifice fly by Cecy Jurado.
 
The Lions took the lead once again in the third inning on a throwing error by the Mustangs. Madison Schaefer (Frisco - Independence) doubled to left to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a fly ball, and scored an error on fly out by Avery Boley (Fort Worth - Nolan Catholic). Schaefer's run was unearned.
 
In the fourth inning, Uxua Modrego (Burlada, Spain) tripled to right to start the inning and she came around to score on the second home run in the game for Jasso, this one was also to left.
 
Alyssa LeBlanc drew a lead off walk in the fifth. Avery Boley followed with a single that moved LeBlanc to third. Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) pinch ran for Boley and stole second right away. Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.) drove in LeBlanc with a single to left and Modrego hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Dutton to bring the Lions to a lead of six runs. MacKenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig - East Central) hit a triple to add another run.
 
The Lions ended the game in the sixth with two runs. Schaefer singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a throwing error. Destiny Whitburn (Dodd City - Ector) pinch ran for Schaefer and scored on a single by Boley.
 
After a single by Anguiano moved Boley in scoring position, Modrego hit a single through the left side that was enough for Boley to score from second and secure the run rule win.
 
Boley and Anguiano went 3 for 4 in the game, with both recording an RBI. Jasso, Leo Terry (Emory - Rains), and Schaefer batted in the top three spots on the lineup and all three had two hits each. Modrego had two hits and two RBIs, while Anguiano had two steals, and Terry and Dutton had one each.
 
Otto improved to 9-2 on the season, allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk in the six-inning complete game. She struck out 11 batters, recording 10 or more strikeouts for the second time this season.
 
Aryana Munoz took the loss for the Mustangs, allowing six earned runs and 15 hits.
 
GAME 2: No. 21 A&M-Commerce 0, Western New Mexico 0
After a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, the Lions plated four runs without an out in the bottom of the inning on four hits. Jasso doubled to lead off the game and scored on a double by Terry, who scored on a single by Schaefer.
 
LeBlanc homered to center field to drive in Schaefer and made it 4-0 before an out was recorded. It was her third home run of the season. The runs continued for the Lions in the first without an out. Kuea Angilau (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Boley reached base via singles and both scored on a three-run home run to left center.
 
The first out of the inning for the Lions did not come until the ninth batter in the lineup got up to the plate and they also scored on a run on the play. After Anguiano's home run, Dutton hit an infield single and advance to third on a steal and an error. She crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by Dugi.
 
In the third inning, Lions loaded the bases with no out. Jasso hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Anguiano to make it 9-0. Destiny Whitburn (Dodd City - Ector) pushed the lead to 12-0 with a three-run pinch hit homer in the fourth inning for her first career hit.
 
LeBlanc was perfect with six strikeouts in three innings in the start to move to 6-2 in the circle for the season. Chanlee Oakes (Emory - Rains) allowed one hit and struck out two in two innings of relief.