CANYON – Early runs in both games made way for the No. 23 ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team to sweep the twinbill on Sunday at the No. 4 ranked and defending NCAA Division II National Champions, West Texas A&M Lady Buffs, by scores of 3-2 and 5-2, respectively, at Schaeffer Park.
 
The Lions have won 10 of their last 11 and improve their record to 17-5 on the season. The Lady Buffs drop to 12-5 on the season and have lost six of the last seven meetings against the Lions.
 
Both Lion starting pitchers had no-hit bids of at least 3.1 innings in each game. Offensively, Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence) had three RBIs in game one and four hits in the two games combined, as did Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.), who hit the game-winning home run in game one, while driving in two of the three runs in game one.
 
"Great team effort got us two wins over a very good West Texas A&M team," said coach Gay McNutt. We needed to set the record straight after last year's regional loss to them in the championship game, and they came through big." 
 
"Both Alyssa LeBlanc and Emily Otto threw extremely well, and I am super proud of their efforts. Otto especially needed to throw well and she did. Destiny Vasquez coming in to close for LeBlanc was huge. Also, Madison Schaefer is back to being Schaefer and that was good to see!"
 
GAME 1: No. 23 A&M-Commerce 3, No. 4 West Texas A&M 2
The Lions had a hit in the first inning, but she did not advance past first base. The Lady Buffs went down in order in the first. Anguiano opened the scoring in the second with a home run to right center, her second of the season.
 
A&M-Commerce had a runner reach third with one out in the third, but could not bring her home. Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy) retired the first 13 Lady Buff batters in order, before a walk from Gabrellia Valforte broke up the perfect game bid with an out in the fifth. Madison Johnson followed with a hit to break up the no-hit bid. LeBlanc retired the next two batters in order to end the inning.
 
The Lions added two runs in the top of the sixth on four hits and left two on base as well. Leo Terry (Emory – Rains) singled to start the inning and moved into scoring position on a double by Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence). Ayanna Williams drove in Terry with a single through the left side, while Schaefer moved to third.
 
After two straight strikeouts by West Texas A&M, Anguiano singled up the middle to drive in Schaefer. West Texas A&M had two reach base before an out in the sixth. Ruby Salzman hit a sacrifice fly, driving in Julie Guzman to open the scoring for West Texas A&M. The Lady Buffs had a runner at first with one out, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
 
The Lions went down in order in the top of the seventh and LeBlanc inched closer to the win by retiring the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh. After a foul pop fly dropped by the Lions, Johnson singled up the middle and scored on a double to right center by Sydney Greeson.
 
With the game-tying run at second, Destiny Vasquez (Norwalk, Calif.) was brought in to pitch and she struck out the pinch hitter, Maddie Geidel, to earn the save.
 
Schaefer and Anguiano both went 2 for 3, with Anguiano driving in two of the three runs. Alina Jasso (San Benito) and Williams had a stolen base each. LeBlanc has won four starts in a row and tossed 6.2 innings of one-earned run ball on Sunday. She collected five strikeouts, while allowing four hits and a walk, and is 5-2 on the season. Vazquez had a strikeout.
 
Johnson had two of the four hits for the Lady Buffs. Heidi Vortherms got the loss for West Texas A&M, throwing six innings, and allowing three runs, eight hits, and no walks. She punched out 10, but falls to 7-2 on the season. Emma Parrish pitched the seventh, collecting a strikeout in the perfect inning.
 
GAME 2: No. 23 A&M-Commerce 5, No. 4 West Texas A&M 2
Jasso wasted no time in getting the Lion offense started in game two, hitting a lead-off single and advancing to second on a fielding error. Terry bunted to move Jasso to third, but another throwing error by the Lady Buffs allowed Jasso to score and Terry to move to third.
 
After two straight walks to load the bases with no outs, the Lady Buffs got their first out of the inning on a runner's interference. Avery Boley (Fort Worth – Nolan Catholic) drove in a Terry with an RBI groundout as the Lady Buffs attempted a double play, but Boley beat the throw.
 
Jasso and Terry reached base once again in the second with two outs, and Schaefer drove in both with a double to right center. Schaefer drove in Jasso once again in the fifth with an RBI base hit after Jasso got on base with a double.
 
Emily Otto (Lamar Consolidated) was no hitting the Lady Buffs through the first 3.1 innings, but a solo home run by Johnson ended that bid. The Lady Buffs hit another single in the inning, but a line out double play to shortstop ended the inning.
 
The Lions left a runner on base each in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Diana Murtha led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit, Cinthia Garcia also reached base via a single, and a groundout moved both runners up a base with one out.
 
Murtha scored on an RBI groundout by Greeson, but Otto got a strikeout to earn her eighth win of the season. She allowed two earned runs on four hits and no walks, while striking out four.
 
Jasso went 3 for 3, while scoring three of the five runs. Schaefer and Anguiano had two hits in game two as well. Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) came in as a pinch runner and stole a base.
 
Murtha went 2 for 2, while scoring one of the two Lady Buff runs and collecting two of the four hits. Emilee Wilson drops to 4-2 on the season after lasting just 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs. She had one strikeout on five hits and three walks. Emma Parrish allowed five hits in the final 3.1 innings and struck out five.   
 
UP NEXT
The Lions are back home to host Western New Mexico on Friday for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. and UT Permian Basin for a noon doubleheader on Sunday.