STEPHENVILLE – Shelby Hodge delivered a walk-off 5-4 win in eight innings on Sunday afternoon over the Creighton Blue Jays for the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team, who fell 8-0 in six to Tarleton in the second game to close out the Whataburger Invitational at the Tarleton Softball Complex.
In the top of the eighth in game one, the Lions got three straight outs to not allow the placed runner at second to score and Hodge (Katy – Cinco Ranch) hit a sacrifice fly to left for the Lions' second win of the season. A&M-Commerce is 2-9 after this weekend's action in Stephenville.
"We had a great first game with a gutsy performance by Anissa in the circle," said coach
Brittany Miller. "There are plenty of bright spots with this team and we continue to lay this foundation!"
GAME 1: A&M-COMMERCE 5, CREIGHTON 4 (Eight innings)
The Blue Jays left two on base in the second and the Lions capitalized with a run in the bottom of the second.
Elizabeth Guerrero (International School of Americas) doubled to right center, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Ashlynn Griffith (Cedar Hill), and scored on an RBI single to left by
Avery Zeigler (Southlake Carroll).
Creighton answered with a run of its own in the third. Ensley Frame reached on an error, moved to second on a bunt, advanced to third on a base hit, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Madeline Vejovda. In the fourth, Alyssa Gappa singled to left and scored on a two-run home run to right by Emma Rosonke.
A&M-Commerce tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Griffith hit an infield single and stole second. Zeigler hit her second single of the game to move Griffith to third. On a double steal, Griffith scored, and Zeigler went to second. Hodge singled to center and moved Zeigler to third.
Jodi De Hart (Pittsburg – Lindale) hit a base hit to the right side that brought home Zeigler and tied the game at three. The Lions left two on base in the inning.
Vejvoda singled to center to start the fifth and then Kailey Wilson hit a fielder's choice to retire Vejvoda at second, but Wilson was safe at first. Elliot Smith came in as a pinch runner for Wilson and scored on a double to center by Cayla Nielsen. The next two Blue Jays struck out to keep the score at 4-3.
Kaydee Bennett (Caddo Mills) singled up the middle to lead off the fifth and stole second. She moved to third on a fly out and scored on an opposite-field slap-single by Griffith. The Blue Jays left a runner on base in the sixth and the seventh.
The Lions had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh needing just one run to win. Zeigler hit a deep line drive to center that was caught by Creighton and the game went into extras.
In the top of the eighth, with the placed runner at second, the Lions collected a strike out, a fly out, and a groundout to escape the inning unscathed.
Zeigler was the placed runner at second for A&M-Commerce in the bottom of the eighth.
Kasey Kuyrkendall (Royse City) came in as the pinch runner and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Diamond Sefe (Carson, Calif.). Hodge hit a deep fly ball to left that was caught, but it was deep enough for Kuyrkendall to score and give the Lions their first walk-off win of the season.
SHELBY HODGE WALK-OFF HIGHLIGHT
Anissa Arrendondo (San Antonio – Warren) pitched the complete-game win for the Lions. She struck out five and allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and two walks. She has been the winning pitcher in both Lion wins this season.
At the plate, Griffith went 3 for 3, while Zeigler went 2 for 4, and Hodge went 2 for 3. Bennett, Griffith, and Zeigler had a stolen base each.
On the Blue Jays side, Nielsen went 3 for 4 in the game. Emma Rosonke went 2 for 3. Alexis Wiggins got a no decision for her two innings of work as the starter. She allowed an earned run, Jena Lawrence gave up two earned runs in her two innings of work, while Natalia Puchino got the loss. She allowed one earned run on two walks and three hits in 3.2 innings of work.
GAME 2: TARLETON 8, A&M-COMMERCE 0 (Six Innings)
Grace Garcia pitched a perfect game in the circle for the Texans. She had five strikeouts. The Texans started their scoring early with two runs in the first. Allison Germain singled to right and advanced on a fielding error. She moved to third on a double to left by Kelci Hill and they both scored on a double down the left field line by Katy Schaefer.
Arrendondo started the game, but after just one batter, she was replaced by
Emma Olsen (Elk Grove, Calif.), who faced just three batters but got the loss.
McKenna Meadors (The Woodlands Christian Academy) came in and got the final two outs of the first.
In the second, MacKenzie Peterson was hit by a pitch, she moved to second on a base hit, and scored on an RBI base hit down the right field line by Germain. Scahefer led off the third with a double to center. She was pinch run for by Hannah Reed, who scored on a double by Brady Rowland. Brittany Coe added another run with a one-run single to left and Wallace reached on a single and then later scored on a throwing error.
Germain doubled to right center in the fourth and scored on a double to center by Hill. Tarleton had the bases loaded with no outs, but could not get the eighth run across in the fifth thanks in large part due to a 3-2-5 double play, which retired Schaefer at home and Hill at third.
Tarleton moved the walk-off runner to second in the fifth with two outs, but the Lions escaped with a fly out. Three straight singles loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth and Jordan Dickerson drew a walk for the 8-0 walk-off win in six. The Texans and the Lions played three times this season and the Texans took all three meetings.
UP NEXT
The Lions head to Waco for the Baylor Invitational next weekend in which they are the only non-Power Five conference team in the tournament. A&M-Commerce faces Minnesota (10 a.m.) and No. 23 ranked Maryland (12:30 p.m.) on Friday.
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