COMMERCE – After the Embry-Riddle Eagles halted the No. 20 ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team's seven-game winning streak with a 6-5 win in game one on Wednesday evening, the Lions exploded for 21 runs in game two to win by a score of 21-3 in five innings at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.
The Lions' record after Wednesday's games moves to 22-6. The Eagles went 3-1 on their trip to the Lone Star state and are 11-7 on the season.
Ayanna Williams totaled seven RBIs in game two, including two three-run home runs. Her seven RBIs are tied for third in program history.
Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy) had six RBIs, including a three-run home run.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
GAME 1: Embry-Riddle 6, No. 20 A&M-Commerce 5
Mahaliyah Sandridge led off the game with a solo home run. The Lions answered in the bottom of the first with a run scored by
Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence) on a wild pitch. Schaefer reached base via a two-out single.
Alina Jasso (San Benito) hit a two-out base hit in the second. She stole second and came around to score on a fielding error by the Eagles.
The Eagles scored five runs on four hits and an error in the third. Maggie Scott hit a two-run base hit as the Eagles had the bases loaded with an out. ReAnne Drayton doubled to center to allow another run to score, and Lauren Latoria also drove in one on a base hit.
Destiny Vasquez (Norwalk, Calif.) started the game for the Lions, but only lasted 2.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits and a walk. LeBlanc came in relief of
Destiny Vasquez (Norwalk, Calif.) and threw the rest of the game and did not allow a run, giving up just one run and one hit in 4.2 innings. She had five strikeouts.
Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.) singled to left center in the fourth and came around to score on a single by
Leo Terry (Emory – Rains). The Lions had two on base in the fourth, but could only get runner home.
The Lions came within one in the fifth. Williams drew a two-out walk and came around to score on a throwing error. Anguiano doubled down the left field line to score
Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.), who came in as a pinch runner, to bring the Lions to 6-5. A&M-Commerce managed to have just one base runner in the final two innings and had three outs at third base in the game.
Anguiano had a multi-hit game, while five Lions had a stolen base each. Vasquez drops to 1-1 on the season.
Sandridge had three of the seven hits for Embry-Riddle and scored two runs. Kelsi Collins improved to 7-3 on the season, picking up the complete game win. She allowed three earned runs on seven hits and five walks, while striking out seven.
GAME 2: No. 20 A&M-Commerce 21, Embry-Riddle 3 (Five Innings)
The Lions struck first in game two on a three-run home run by Williams in the bottom of the first. Jasso singled to start the inning, Schaefer also reached base via a single, and both trekked home on the fifth home run of the season by Williams.
AYANNA WILLIAMS HOME RUN HIGHLIGHT
Embry-Riddle answered right away in the second inning with a lead-off home run by Drayton. After an out, the Eagles hit back-to-back doubles to make it 3-2.
Chanlee Oakes (Emory – Rains) recorded a strikeout with runners at first and second for the Eagles to end the inning.
The Lions distanced themselves with six runs on five hits and an error. Anguiano singled to start the inning, followed by a bunt single from Dutton. Anguiano stole third and came around to score on a throwing error, while Dutton scored on a single by Terry.
Jasso got on base with a walk, stole second, moved to third on the hit by Terry and scored on a bunt by Schaefer, who successfully reached first on the play. LeBlanc hit the Lions' second home run of the game and her fourth home run of the season to bring home Schaefer and Terry.
ALYSSA LEBLANC HOME RUN HIGHLIGHT
Drayton drove in Scott with an RBI double off the left field wall to make it 9-3.
Dutton led off the third with a single, stole second, and scored on an RBI base hit by Jasso. The Lions had the bases loaded with no outs. The Eagles got the first out of the inning at home plate on a groundball. LeBlanc brought two runners home with a hard-hit single. Two fielding errors by the Eagles on consecutive plays allowed Schaefer and LeBlanc to score and make it 14-3.
On a pop up to second base, Williams scored on the sacrifice fly by Anguiano. With two outs and a runner at third, Dutton beat out the throw to allow
Destiny Whitburn (Dodd City – Ector), who came in a as a pinch runner, to score.
The Lions added five more runs in the fourth inning. Two scored on a bases-loaded single by LeBlanc and Williams hit her second three-run home run of the game, scoring LeBlanc and Madelyn Spears (Quitman), who came in as a pinch runner.
AYANNA WILLIAMS SECOND HOME RUN HIGHLIGHT
A&M-Commerce's 19 hits in game two are second most in program history, while the 21 runs are tied for third. The nine stolen bases are also second in program history.
Jasso, LeBlanc, Williams, and Dutton had three hits each. Jasso had three stolen bases, while Schaefer and Dutton had two each.
Oakes improves to 3-1 on the season, pitching all five innings. She allowed six hits, one hit batter, no walks, and struck out one.
For the Eagles, Drayton had two of three RBIs. Mallory Kinahan and Delaney Morgan pitched two innings each. Kinahan got the loss and falls to 4-4 on the season.
UP NEXT
The Lions travel to Midwestern State for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. on Friday and at Texas Woman's on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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Lion Athletics Mission: Committed to a "Best in Class" experience for all.
