HUNTSVILLE – Seven home runs from the Sam Houston Bearkats were the difference in Tuesday's doubleheader sweep of the Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team at the Bearkat Softball Complex via scores of 8-2 and 3-0, respectively.
 
Coming into the game, the Bearkats had hit eight home runs in 20 games on the season. Sam Houston hit seven on Tuesday.
 
"We have to do a better job of locating our pitches," said coach Brittany Miller, "Even if we miss slightly, teams at this level will punish us. Excited to be back at home this weekend."
 
GAME 1: SAM HOUSTON 8, A&M-COMMERCE 2
Tehya Pitts (Denton – Guyer) singled down the left field line on the third pitch of the game and stole second. She moved to third on a ground out and came around to score on a sacrifice bunt by Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper).
 
Ellie Grill led off the bottom of the first with a home run to left and tied the game at one. In the third, Haleigh Carter singled to center with one out, Elia Hebel singled to third, while Carter advanced to third. Morgan Holliday drove in Carter with a sacrifice fly to left.
 
Jordan Peno and Kylie Hobbs reached on back-to-back base hits with an out in the fourth. Tricia Yarotsky cleared the bases with a three-run home run to center.
 
In the top of the fifth, Jenna Joyce (Royse City) hit a one-out triple to right center. After a strikeout, Brooke Hilton (Plano East) brought home Joyce with an RBI base hit to center.
 
Holliday hit a one-out home run down the left field line in the fifth. Brodie Quinlan doubled to right and Hannah Scheaffer singled to right center, plating Quinlan. In the sixth, Allie Saville hit the fourth home run of the game for the Bearkats, this one was a two-out home run to left.
 
The Lions left three runners on base in the game. Pitts, Hilton, and Joyce were the only hits for the Lions. Anissa Arredondo (San Antonio – Warren) surrendered eight earned runs on 11 hits in the complete-game loss.
 
Holliday went 2 for 2, while 10 batters had a hit, to total 11 hits. Abigail Young allowed two earned runs in five innings for the win, while Mika Vento tossed two shutout innings to close out the game.
 
GAME 2: SAM HOUSTON 3, A&M-COMMERCE 0
All three runs scored by the Bearkats in the game were solo home runs, including two with an out in the sixth.
 
The Bearkats had the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, but a strikeout and fly out ended the inning with no score. Grill led off the third with a home run to left center, the first run of the game.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Lions had a runner at second with one out and had runners at first and second with two outs in the sixth, but came up empty handed both times. A&M-Commerce left four runners on base in the game.
 
Saville and Yarotsky went back-to-back in the sixth with home runs to left, giving Sam Houston a 3-0 lead entering the seventh.
 
Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) pitched 6.1 innings, the only runs she allowed in the loss were the three home runs. She struck out five. Joyce and Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) had a base hit each in the game.
 
Amy Abke allowed two hits, two walks, while striking out five in the complete-game shutout win.
 
The Lions fall to 5-22 on the season, having lost 14 in a row. Sam Houston snapped a four-game losing streak and is now 11-13 on the year.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions are back at home to begin a nine-game home stand. A&M-Commerce hosts Southeastern for a three-game series this weekend. Friday's doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. and the Saturday series finale is at noon. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.