COMMERCE – On Senior Day at John Cain Family Field, the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team took its second straight series win by beating Northwestern State, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Demons stormed back and took the first game, 5-4, which was suspended on Friday evening.
 
The Lions improve to 9-36 overall and 5-16 in Southland play, while the Lady Demons drop to 24-22 and 10-11 in conference play. Based on results around the Southland on Saturday, the Lions have been mathematically eliminated from making the seven-team conference tournament.

POST GAME INTERVIEW
 
SENIOR DAY
In between the two games, the Lions honored their graduating seniors, Avery Zeigler (Southlake Carroll) and Ayanna Williams (Round Rock – Cedar Ridge) as well as student manager Harrison Fite.
 
Game 1: NORTHWESTERN STATE 5, A&M-COMMERCE 4
The second game of the series began on Friday evening, but was halted twice, and completed on Saturday afternoon.
 
FROM FRIDAY
Zeigler, Kaydee Bennett (Caddo Mills), and Diamond Sefe (Carson, Calif.) loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the bottom of the first. After a strikeout and a fielder's choice on which Northwestern State opted to take the out at home, a lightning delay of nearly two hours ensued.
 
After the delay, KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.) was at the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Bennett scored from third on a wild pitch on the first pitch after the delay.
 
Bennett led off the third with a base hit to third, stole second, and scored on an RBI double to center by Sefe. After a walk drawn by Williams, America Rubio (El Paso – Montwood) advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Cosek walked to load the bases once again and Camile Nunez (Madera, Calif.) brought home Sefe with a sacrifice fly to right.
 
Keely Dubois doubled to center to start the fourth, Kat Marshall followed with a double to left center to bring home Dubois, the Lady Demons' first run of the day. Another lightning delay ensued and both teams agreed to suspend play for the rest of the night and resume on Saturday morning.
 
SATURDAY MORNING
Makenzie Chaffin was at the plate when the game was suspended, she started off on Saturday with a base hit to right field that put two on with one out. Vivica Hernandez came in as a pinch runner for Marshall. Laney Roos drove in Hernandez with a double to left.
 
After a pop out and a walk to load the bases, Ashlyn Walker reached on a fielder's choice on which the Lions took the out at home. Ballie Ragsdale drew a bases loaded walk to allow Roos to score and tie the game.
 
Dubois led off the fifth with a double to center. After two pop outs, Tristin Court doubled in two runs and gave the lead to Northwestern State, hitting it to right.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Williams walked to lead off the inning. She moved to second on a sac bunt by Rubio and scored on a double down the right field line by Cosek. The Lions could not plate Cosek as the next two hitters retired in order.
 
Dubois went 2 for 3 and Marshall went 2 for 4 in the game. For the Lions, both Sefe and Rubio went 2 for 4 for the Lions.
 
In the circle for the Lady Demons, Kenzie Seely took the win, she allowed four earned runs in five innings. Ryleigh Denton took the save pitching two shutout innings.
 
Anissa Arredondo (San Antonio – Warren) allowed three earned runs in three innings, while Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) took the loss, allowing two earned runs in four innings.
 
Game 2: A&M-COMMERCE 4, NORTHWESTERN STATE 3
The Lions took the lead in the third on hit by Sefe. Emmie Miehe (Cameron Park, Calif.) reached on a base hit and Ashlynn Griffith (Cedar Hill) drew a walk. Both stole a base, and the bases were loaded on a walk drawn by Bennett.
 
Sefe hit a bases clearing double to left center to open the scoring in the second game of the day.
 
In the fourth, Elizabeth Guerrero (International School of Americas) drew a one-out walk and was pinch run for by Kasey Kuyrkendall (Royse City), who moved to third on a wild pitch. Jodi De Hart (Pittsburg – Lindale) came in as a pinch hitter and hit a single to center, moving Kuyrkendall to third.
 
Zeigler reached on a fielding error that allowed Kuyrkendall to score. The Lady Demons scored their first run in the sixth. Ragsdale led off the inning with a base hit and came around to score on a one-out double to right by Dubois. A&M-Commerce got two fly outs to end the inning.
 
In the seventh, Roos led off with a base hit and Court reached on a fielding error to put two on with no outs. After a pop out, Walker was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ragsdale drew a bases loaded walk to make it 4-2.
 
Arredondo came into pitch and forced a groundball that allowed Taylor Williams to reach on a fielder's choice and Court scored as A&M-Commerce took the out at third. A fly out to right ended the game.
 
The Lady Demons had four hits in the game, one each from Ragsdale, Dubois, Roos, and Court. For the Lions, Miehe, Sefe, and De Hart had a hit each.
 
Sanchez collected the win for the Lions, tossing 6.1 innings and allowing one earned run. She is 7-13 on the season. On Saturday, she struck out two on three walks and four hits. Arredondo collected the save, getting the final two outs of the game.
 
Bronte Rhoden started the game and went 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs and took the loss. Denton came in to pitch in relief allowed one unearned run, tossing 3.2 innings.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions close out their inaugural Division I season next weekend at Lamar. Friday's doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. and Saturday's season finale is set for noon.