WACO – Being matched up with the nationally-ranked Baylor Bears twice on Saturday at Getterman Stadium, the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team held its own, falling via scores of 7-4 and 9-2, respectively, with both games going full seven innings.
 
The Lions fell in all three round-robin games and lost the semifinal games against the No. 23/25 ranked Bears to fall to the consolation game on Sunday morning.
 
"The adversity we have been faced with thus far, helped us put together two solid games today," said coach Brittany Miller. "We are starting to come together as a team and competing!"
 
GAME 1: No. 23/25 BAYLOR 7, A&M-COMMERCE 3
Baylor's McKenzie Wilson drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the first, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Lions. After another walk, she scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly down the right field line by Shaylon Govan.
 
The Lions picked up their first hit of the game in the second on a one-out double, but it was left stranded. Baylor put runners on in the second but was held scoreless as well.
 
In the top of the third, Kasey Kuyrkendall (Royse City) got on base with a one-out walk. Ashlynn Griffith (Cedar Hill) followed that up with an infield single. Both runners advanced a base on a groundout and they both scored on a two-run double down the left field line by Ayanna Williams (Round Rock – Cedar Ridge). Those two runs snapped a three-game scoreless streak for the Lions. Despite runners on the corners, the Lions could not get another run across.
 
The Bears took back the lead in the bottom of the third. Presleigh Pilon was hit by a pitch, and she moved to second on a ground out, eventually scoring on a RBI double to right center by Josie Bower, who scored on a RBI double by Shannon Vivoda.
 
Two straight singles to start the fourth put the Lions in prime position to tie the game, but after a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third, two straight outs ended the inning.
 
Baylor added three in the fifth. Govan singled with one out and was pinch run for by Ashlyn Wacthendorf. Bower followed with a single as did Vivoda to plate Wachtendorf. Ana Watson reached on a fielder's choice, while Bower scored on a fielding error by the Lions. Zadie LaValley hit another single to drive in Vivoda, which was also unearned.
 
Govan homered to center in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-2 after six. In the seventh, Emmie Miehe (Cameron Park, Calif.) drew a two-out walk and scored on an RBI double to right center by Williams, who went 2 for 4 in the game for three RBIs. Miehe drew two walks.
 
For the Bears, Govan, Bower, Vivod, and LaValley had two hits each. RyLee Crandall got the win, throwing three innings and allowed two earned runs. Kaci West pitched four innings in relief for the save.
 
Anissa Arredondo (San Antonio – Warren) pitched the complete game against one of the best offenses in the country, allowing four earned runs. She surrendered nine hits and three walks as well as hitting one batter.
 
With Baylor winning all three games in the round robin, the Bears were the No. 1 seed, while the winless Lions were No. 4 seed, thus meeting again in the semifinals.
 
GAME 2: No. 23/25 BAYLOR 9, A&M-COMMERCE 2
Neither team scored a run through the first two innings. Baylor left three runners on base in the first two innings. Wilson walked on four pitches to start the third and she scored on a two-run home run to right by Govan.
 
The Lions quickly tied the game in the top of the fourth. Kaydee Bennett (Caddo Mills) returned to lineup and singled with one out and scored on a two-run home run to right center by Diamond Sefe (Carson, Calif.), her second of the season.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Baylor broke the game open with six runs on five hits, one error, and walk with all six runs coming after two outs were recorded. The first two batters retired in order and Presleigh Pilon was hit by a pitch. She stole second and then Wilson walked with Pilon stealing third on the play. Wilson also stole second and both base runners scored on a two-run single to center by Taylor Strain, who advanced to second on the throw.
 
Strain stole third and scored on the play due to a throwing error by the Lions and made it 5-2. Toven continued the inning with a base hit and scored on a RBI double to left center by Govan, who was pinch run for by Caroline Rowatt, who scored on a double up the middle by Emily Hott. West drove in with a single through the left side. In total, 11 batters came to bat.
 
Hott drove in another run with an RBI triple down the left field line in the sixth. She went for the inside-the-park home run, but was tagged out at home, from left field to shortstop to catcher.
 
The Lions were held to two hits in the game, both coming in the fourth, one from Bennett and the home run by Sefe. Hott went 3 for 4 in the game for the Bears, who also received multi-hit games from Strain and Govan.
 
Dariana Orme pitched three shutout innings to get the save, while striking out five. West got the win by starting the game and tossing four innings, while allowing two earned runs and striking out two.
 
Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) took the loss after giving up five earned runs in 3.2 innings.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions fall to the consolation game on Sunday at 9 a.m. and face No. 21/21 Maryland to close out the weekend in Waco.