COMMERCE – The SIU Edwardsville came into John Cain Family Field and swept the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team in Saturday afternoon's chilly doubleheader by scores of 8-3 and 6-3, respectively,
 
The two losses drop the Lions to 4-6 on the season as they have lost five a row. The Cougars are now 3-4 on the season.
 
"We had chances to score in both games, but lacked the big hit," said coach Brittany Miller. "When we finally did some get some runs, we were not able to protect the lead with our pitching."
 
GAME 1: SIUE 8, A&M-COMMERCE 3
After a strike out to start the game, Grace Lueke singled to center, but the Lions forced a pop out to put two outs on the board. Piper Montgomery drew a two-out walk and Lauren Yslava was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
 
Jenna Herron singled to left, which scored Lueke and kept the bases loaded. Madison Kearns followed with another single to center as both Yslava and Montgomery scored on the play. The Lions made a pitching change and allowed a walk to load the bases, but the inning ended on a strike out.
 
In the bottom of the first, Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.) drew a leadoff walk. Following two pop outs, Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) doubled down the right field line to bring home Arzola. Another pop out ended the inning.
 
Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper) reached on a fielding error by the Cougars with one out in the second and Tehya Pitts (Denton – Guyer) singled to third to put two on with one out. Ashlynn Griffith (Cedar Hill) moved both runners on a groundout and Arzola drove both runners in with a double down the left field line. She stole third, but a strikeout ended the inning.
 
Yslava was hit by a pitch to lead the third and Herron drew a walk. After a Lion pitching change and a fielder's choice that put runners at the corners with one out, Kaylynn Salyars singled to the pitcher to load the bases.
 
Danielle Shuey put SIUE back in the lead with a single to left center. The Cougars still had the bases loaded with one out, but a strikeout and a flyout ended the inning.
 
In the top of the fourth, Henderson reached on a Lion fielding error, Montgomery was hit by a pitch, and both stole a base, but it did not matter as Yslava hit a three-run home run to right center that sailed in the wind. The Cougars left two runners on base in the inning.
 
Paige Rocha led off the seventh by reaching on a fielding error, Lueke sngled to shortstop and Henderson sacrifice bunted both runners over. A wild pitch brought home Rocha.
 
The Cougars had 12 hits in the game with Rocha and Lueke, who batted 1-2 in the lineup, combining for five. Yslava went 2 for 3 in the game as well. Sydney Baalman tossed the complete-game win. She struck out three, while allowing eight hits, one earned run, and two walks.
 
For the Lions, Pitts went 3 for 3 in the game, while Arzola stole two bases. Anissa Arredondo (San Antonio – Warren) started the game and came in later in the game, totaling 4.1 innings pitched, eight hits, three earned runs, and a strike out. Destiny Martinez (Denver, Colo.) got the loss, allowing one earned run, while walking two and giving up a hit in 1.1 innings of work.
 
GAME 2: SIUE 6, A&M-COMMERCE 3
The Cougars were scoreless in the first two innings, while the Lions went down in order in the bottom of the first as well. KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.) singled up the middle and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kasey Kuyrkendall (Royse City) to start the second.
 
Darby Hickey (Plano Senior) singled to center that brought home Cosek. Hickey was at third with two outs, but the Lions could not add to their lead.
 
In the top of the fifth, Salyars led off inning with a ground out, Shuey singled to pitcher. After a fly out, Lueke singled to shortstop as Shuey went to second. Henderson hit a one-run single to left and Blomenkamp came in as a pinch runner for Lueke and Abby Harvell pinch rain for Henderson.
 
Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch and came around to score on a two-run single to right by Montgomery. Yslava doubled to left to bring home Montgomery and then stole third and scored on an infield single by Herron. SIUE scored five runs in the fifth on six hits and left one on base, all coming with two outs.
 
The Lions answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Ashley Diaz (Chino, Calif.) reached on a throwing error and Arzola followed with a single to the pitcher, while Pitts singled to left center and loaded the bases.
 
Wright came in as a pinch hitter and hit a one-run single to left as Diaz scored and the bases remained loaded. Cosek grounded out to first, but that allowed Arzola to score.
 
The Lions had runners at second and third, trailing by two, but a pop up in foul territory ended the inning. A&M-Commerce scored two on three hits and an error, while leaving two on base.
 
SIUE tacked on a run in the sixth as Salyars hit a bunt single, moved to second on a ground out, and scored on a single to left by Lueke, who went 3 for 4 in the game. Both Montgomery and Yslava went 2 for 4 as well with Montgomery accounting for two RBIs.
 
Pitts went 2 for 4 in the second game, combining to go 5 for 7 on the day and stole a base as well.
 
In the circle, Kelsey Ray pitched six innings and took the win, allowing six hits, one earned run, and struck out one. Rylie Pindel got the save with a shutout seventh.
 
For the Lions, Maddie Muller (Frisco – Memorial) got the loss for the second straight day. She went 4.2 innings with five earned runs on eight hits, striking out three. Emma Olsen (Elk Grove, Calif.) pitched the final 2.1 innings of the game, allowing one earned run and struck out one.
 
UP NEXT
The two teams meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday to close out the series. All kids in attendance can run the bases following the game. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.