COMMERCE - Ten shutout innings from the pitching staff and four home runs from the offense aided the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball to sweep a doubleheader on Sunday against the UT Permian Basin Falcons and extend its winning streak to seven with a pair of run-rule five inning wins by scores of 8-0 and 13-0, respectively, at the John Cain Family Softball Complex. 

The Lions improve to 21-5 on the season, reaching at least 20 wins in every season in the program's existence outside of the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. The Falcons remain winless all-time against the Lions and drop to 16-13 on the season. 

Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy) punched out 13 in game one, picked up her seventh straight win, and is 7-2 on the season. She has lowered her ERA by three runs in the last three weeks. Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated), who had 13 strikeouts in a game earlier this season, tossed four shutout innings in game two to pick up her tenth win of the season.  

At the plate, Alina Jasso (San Benito) had four RBIs including a three-run home run in game one. She had three home runs this weekend. Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.) also hit three home runs this weekend, she had one in each game on Sunday. 


POSTGAME INTERVIEW

GAME 1: No. 21 A&M-Commerce 8, UT Permian Basin 0 (Five innings) 
LeBlanc struck out the first six batters of the game and eight of the first nine batters. The Lions scored the first run of the day in the second on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Jasso with Avery Boley (Fort Worth - Nolan Catholic) scoring the run. 

Another run came for the Lions in the third on a fielding error by the Falcons. Madison Schaefer (Frisco - Independence) doubled to left, stole third, and scored on a ground ball hit by LeBlanc. 

LeBlanc punched out two more in the fourth to total 10 after four. In the bottom of the inning, Anguiano doubled to left and came around to score on a single by Uxua Modrego (Burlada, Spain). MacKenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig - East Central) drew a walk. Both her and Modrego scored on the home run to left center by Jasso. 

The first 12 batters for the Falcons retired in order, but a lead-off single by Mia Quintero broke up the no-hit bid in the fifth and after a walk, UTPB had two on with no outs. LeBlanc went on to strike out the next three batters to keep the Falcons scoreless and tie the program record with 13 strikeouts. 

Two runs away from the run-rule victory, the Lions got the two runs with an out in the fifth. After a fly out, Anguiano homered to left center, her fourth of the year. Modrego drew a walk, stole second, and scored the run-rule clinching run on a double by Dugi. 

LeBlanc allowed just one hit and a walk, tying Otto, who had 13 strikeouts against Davis & Elkins earlier this season. Offensively, both Anguiano and Modrego had two hits each, while Schaefer, Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.), Modrego, and Dugi each had a stolen base.

Destini Trahan got the loss for the Falcons, allowing four earned runs, five walks, and four hits in 3.3 innings. 

GAME 2: No. 21 A&M-Commerce 13, UT Permian Basin 0 (Five Innings)
Once again, the Lions pounded early with a pair of runs in the first. Leo Terry (Emory - Rains) singled and scored on a double by LeBlanc, who scored on a single by Ayanna Williams (Round Rock - Cedar Ridge).

In the second, Anguiano singled to left to start the inning, she advanced a base on a walk drawn by Modrego. Dutton brought home Modrego and Anguiano with a double up the middle and Dugi drove in Dutton with a base hit to center. 

The Lions had the bases juiced in the third and Dugi drew a walk to allow Anguiano to score the Lions' sixth run of the game, Terry also drew a bases-loaded walk, allowing Modrego to score in the third. The runs kept coming for the Lions as Schaefer hit a fly ball to left that was dropped by the Falcons and allowed three runners to score. 

Anguiano drilled a home run to left with Boley on base to make it 12-0 and Modrego followed with her team-leading sixth home run of the season, also to left field and put the Lions up by a baker's dozen.  

Destiny Vasquez (Norwalk, Calif.) came into the pitch the fifth and retired the Falcons in order, while picking up two strikeouts. Otto allowed two hits and struck out six in four innings. 

Nine batters had hits for the Lions in game two, with Anguiano going 3 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Williams had two stolen bases. 

Becky Berth took the loss for the Falcons, giving up five earned runs. 

UP NEXT
A&M-Commerce continues its six-game homestand on Wednesday against Embry-Riddle at 4 p.m. before heading on the road for eight games.