TYLER – The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team is Lone Star Conference Tournament Champion for the first time in program history. The No. 4 seeded Lions downed the No. 2 seeded Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas, 9-2, at UT Tyler Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Lions and the Javelinas played in the LSC Tournament Championship game for the second time, with A&M-Commerce coming out on top in their final season in the conference. The Lions never trailed on Sunday and improve to 42-13 on the season, matching the most wins in program history.
This weekend in Tyler, the Lions knocked off nationally ranked No. 1 UT Tyler, No. 2 Texas A&M-Kingsville, and No. 7 Angelo State to clinch an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Lions will hear their named called during Monday's Selection Show and find out their seeding and location for the South Central Regional, which begins on Thursday.
The NCAA Tournament Selection Show will be webcasted on NCAA.com at 9 a.m. central on Monday. Lion softball supporters in and around Commerce are invited watch the selection show along with the team in The Club inside the Rayburn Student Center at 9 a.m. on Monday.
The Lions pounced the Javelinas early and often on Sunday.
Madison Schaefer (Frisco – Independence) drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a groundout, advanced to third on a base hit by
Alyssa LeBlanc (Katy), and scored on a fielder's choice by
Avery Boley (Fort Worth – Nolan Catholic).
LeBlanc pitched in all three games this weekend, tossing complete games in two of the three wins. She was named the Lone Star Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, while Schaefer was also selected to the all-tournament team.
On Sunday, LeBlanc allowed two earned runs in seven innings of work and struck out five. She tossed 15.2 innings this weekend and only allowed two runs, which came on Sunday.
Aaliyah Ortiz tied the game in bottom of the second with a solo home run that went off the scoreboard. Both runs for the Javelinas on Sunday came via solo home runs. Jennifer Geisey had the other home run for the Javelinas, coming in the bottom of the third.
The Lions capitalized on three fielding errors by Texas A&M-Kingsville in the third.
Samantha Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) reached via a throwing error to start the inning, moved to second on a single by Schaefer, she also went to third on the play due to another error.
With five infielders,
Leo Terry (Emory – Rains) hit a grounder in the infield that allowed Dutton to score, while all three runners were safe. Boley drove in Schaefer with a sacrifice fly and Terry scored while she was trying to steal third, but a fielding error allowed her to jog all the way home.
Uxua Modrego (Burlada, Spain) singled in the fifth and scored on a triple to left by
MacKenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig – East Central). Dutton drove in Dugi with a single to right and she scored on a double by Schaefer.
Both Dutton and Dugi were also named to the all-tournament teams. As was
Sabrina Anguiano (Riverside, Calif.), who had two home runs in the tournament.
Down 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Javelinas had the bases loaded with no outs. Dugi caught a fly ball and threw home, in time to get the runner trying to score from third for the double play. Another fly ball to Dugi ended the inning with no one crossing home plate.
LeBlanc answered in the top of the sixth with a home run to straight center, her 12
th of the season. Schaefer also scored on the home run.
ALYSSA LEBLANC HOME RUN HIGHLIGHT
The Javelinas put a runner on base with one out in the seventh. LeBlanc retired the next two batters to give the Lions their first ever LSC Tournament win.
FINAL OUT HIGHLIGHT
Offensively for the Lions, Schaefer, LeBlanc, Modrego, and Dutton had multi-hit games. Lizette Del Angel got the loss for the Javelinas in the circle.
The Lions avenge the two losses to the Javelinas at home during the regular season. In their final season in the Lone Star Conference, the Lions collected at least one win over every other team in the conference.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
2022 LONE STAR CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP - Alyssa LeBlanc, A&M-Commerce, Pitcher
Madison Schaefer, A&M-Commerce, Third base
Sabrina Anguiano, A&M-Commerce, Shortstop
Samantha Dutton, A&M-Commerce, Outfielder
MacKenzie Dugi, A&M-Commerce, Outfielder
Saidi Castillo, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Pitcher
Carissa De Los Santos, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Pitcher
Jennifer Giesey, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Second base
Aliyah Ortiz, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Third base
Tatum Goff, UT Tyler, Utility
Sarah Gartman, UT Tyler, Pitcher
Whitney Walde, Oklahoma Christian, Catcher
Lindsey Stoekle, Oklahoma Christian, Pitcher
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