COMMERCE – For the sixth season in a row, the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team won its home opener, downing UMass Lowell 13-3 in five innings on Friday at the John Cain Family Field. The Lions fell 7-5 in the night cap to Stonehill in the final game of the first day of the Lion Classic.
 
Through two games, the Lions scored 18 runs, with four hitters batting .500 or better through the first two games. Friday began the 10^th season in the program's history.
 
"It was an excellent start to the season against UMass Lowell, especially with the two early home runs by Charli and Diamond, and we rode that momentum for the rest of the game," said coach Brittany Miller. "It was disappointing to lose in the second game, but we see them twice more this weekend and will use this game as a learning opportunity."
 
A&M-COMMERCE 13, UMASS LOWELL 3 (Five Innings)
The River Hawks' Elizabeth Frederick led off the game with a base hit and moved to second on a single by Isabel Quintanilla. Frederick scored on a throwing error by the Lions, while Quintanilla tried to advance to third, but was tagged out. Morgan Fisher homered to left center in the top of the first to make it 2-0 in favor of the River Hawks.
 
In the bottom of the first, Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.) led off with a base hit as well, but was caught stealing at second. Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper) drew a two-out walk as did Diamond Sefe (Carson, Calif.). Darby Hickey (Plano Senior) doubled down the left field line, allowing Anger to score. A fly out ended the scoring the threat for the Lions, while the bases were loaded.
 
Emmie Miehe (Cameron Park, Calif.) drew a walk to lead off the second and moved to second on a single by Arzola. Following a foul out, Anger homered to left center to give the Lions their first lead of the season. It is the first career home run for Anger.
 
Sefe was due up next, and she homered down the left field line to make it 5-2 in favor of A&M-Commerce. In 2023, the Lions had just one home run in 12 home games, while hitting two in back-to-back at-bats in the home opener of the 2024 season.
 
Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) reached base via a walk to lead off the third and Ashley Diaz (Chino, Calif.) singled via a bunt, but Wright was out at second. Miehe was up next, and she doubled to right center as Diaz scored from first.
 
Following a pitching change by the River Hawks, Miehe advanced on a wild pitch and came around to score on a throwing error. Ashlynn Griffith (Cedar Hill) reached on the error and Arzola followed with another base hit, to put runners on the corners. Both runners stole a base as Griffith scored, but UMass Lowell got the next two outs to end the inning.
 
Sefe singled to start the fourth and Wright reached on a throwing error to put two on with one out. Diaz then doubled down the left field line, bringing home both Sefe and KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.), who came in as a pinch runner for Wright, scoring. Miehe brought home Diaz with a double to left center and Griffith reached on another error.
 
Elizabeth Guerrero (International School of Americas) reached on another error and advanced to second, while both Griffith and Miehe scored and gave the Lions a 13-2 lead going into the fifth.
 
Two straight walks by Frederick and Quintanilla as well as a single by Lea White loaded the bases for the River Hawks with no outs in the fifth. Fisher grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, but Frederick scored. Despite another walk, the Lions secured their first win of the season on a fly out.
 
Friday's win over the River Hawks is the first run-rule win for the Lions in the Division I era. The 13 runs scored are also the most in a home game in the Division I era.
 
At the plate for A&M-Commerce, Arzola went 3 for 3 in the leadoff spot, while Sefe went 2 for 2 with two runs scored, and Miehe went 2 for 2 with two RBI's and three runs scored. Arzola stole two bases, while Miehe and Griffith stole one each.
 
Maddie Muller (Frisco – Memorial) made her Lion debut in the circle with a four-inning win. She allowed five hits, one earned run, and two walks, while striking out four. Destiny Martinez (Denver, Colo.) pitched the fifth, allowing a run.
 
For the River Hawks, Frederick scored two of the three runs. In the circle, Giana LaCedra allowed six earned runs in 2.1 innings, being changed with the loss.
 
STONEHILL 7, A&M-COMMERCE 5
The two teams combined for one baserunner in the first two innings, until the Skyhawks drew first blood in the third. Emily Nardelli reached on a throwing error by the Lions and moved to second on the play. Piper Hoffmann moved her to second on a bunt and Natalie Bottiglieri brought in Nardelli with a sacrifice bunt.
 
In the fourth, Shannon Conte reached on a fielding error by the Lions and came around to score on a double to center by Isabella Therrien.
 
The Lions answered in the bottom of the fourth with Tehya Pitts (Denton – Guyer) singling to left to lead off the inning, moving to second on a groundout, and scoring on a single to left center by Sefe, who was tagged out at second.
 
Hoffman reached on a fielding error by the Lions in the fifth and reached third on the play. Bottiglieri also reached on an error, which allowed Hoffman to score. May Dawes doubled to left to bring home Bottigleiri and Paige Wodarski singled to left to put two runners on and force a Lion pitching change.
 
Conte served up a double to left center, which allowed both Dawes to score and Maeve Prouix, who came in as a pinch runner for Wodarski.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, following a fly out by Wright, Diaz, Miehe, and Griffith loaded the bases with a walk and two base hits. Lencia Powell (Birdville) came in a pinch hitter and reached on a fielder's choice as Diaz scored on a throwing error.
 
Jenna Joyce (Royse City) also came in as a pinch runner and drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-3. Anger reached on a fielder's choice as the Skyhawks took the out at second and Griffith scored. Sefe doubled to left field, allowing Powell to score.
 
The Lions had runners at second and third, trailing by one, but a fly out ended the inning. A pinch-hit single by Haliegh Reed and a pair of walks drawn by Bottigleiri and Dawes loaded the bases for the Skyhawks. Wodarski drew a bases-loaded walk and made it 7-5.
 
A&M-Commerce left the bases loaded in the sixth, trailing by one and did not have a base runner in the seventh.
 
Griffith went 3 for 3 in the game, while Sefe went 2 for 4 with four RBI's. Miehe was also 2 for 3. For the Skyhawks, Bottiglieri went 2 for 2 with two RBI's and a run scored in the leadoff spot.
 
Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) took the loss in the circle for the Lions. She tossed 4.1 innings and allowed six runs, while Anissa Arredondo (San Antonio – Warren) pitched 2.2 innings in relief and allowed one walk. Both pitchers struck out four.
 
Skylar Brandemarte picked up the complete-game win. She allowed five hits, three earned runs, and three walks, with two strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions continue to host the Lion Classic on Saturday, playing Stonehill at 4 p.m. and Quinnipiac at 6 p.m. Tickets for both games can be found at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.