COMMERCE – Hosting two Big Ten Conference opponents on Friday at the John Cain Family Softball Field, the East Texas A&M University softball team fell to Rutgers by a score of 7-0 and the Lions' rally fell short against Iowa, 4-2, in the nightcap.
 
The Lions fall to 2-4 on the season, while Rutgers is now 3-5 and Iowa is 4-3.
 
Game One: RUTGERS 7, EAST TEXAS A&M 0
The Lions left two on base in the first and another in the second, but the Scarlet Knights scored the first two runs of the game in the third.
 
Gaelen Kelly singled to left center and Adie Osborne reached on a fielder's choice as the Lions tagged out Kelly at second. Hailey Stripling reached on a Lion throwing error and Osborne came around to score. Stripling advanced to third on the play as well and was brought home on a one-run single through the left side by Jillian Anderson.
 
In the fifth inning, Osborne walked, then stole second, and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Stripling, who came around to score on a one-run single up the middle by Baileigh Burtis.
 
Riley Hwang came in as a pinch runner in the sixth and scored on a hit by pitch by Stripling with the bases loaded. Anderson hit a two-run single through the left side in the sixth as well.
 
For the Scarlet Knights, who just had six hits in the game, Anderson went 2 for 3. The Lions were limited to three hits with Emma Rodrigues (Little Elm – John Paul II), Maddie Cason (Honey Grove), and Emmie Miehe (Cameron Park, Calif.) recording a hit each.
 
Kelsey Hoekstra tossed five shutout innings for the win, striking out four as well. For the Lions, Maddie Muller (Frisco – Memorial) surrendered two unearned runs in 4.0 innings and was credited with the loss.
 
Game Two: IOWA 4, EAST TEXAS A&M 2
The Lions left the bases loaded in the first. In the fourth, Allyssa Ramos singled up the middle and Desiree Rivera followed with a base hit to right. Following a pop out, Hannah Lindsay hit a three-run home run down the left field line for the first runs of the game.
 
After the Hawkeyes left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, the Lions scored their first runs of the day in the bottom of the inning. Lexi Gamez (Orange, Calif.) reached on a throwing error, advancing to second on the play and was pinch run for KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.).
 
Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.) drew a walk and both runners advanced a base on a fly out by Rodrigues. Cason reached on a throwing error by the Hawkeyes with both Gamez and Arzola scoring on the play and Cason advanced all the way to third.
 
The Lions left runners at second and third to end the inning. Lindsay added her fourth RBI of the game in the top of the seventh with Ramos leading off the inning with a walk, Rivera singling to right, and Lindsay driving in Ramos on a sacrifice fly to center.
 
In the game, the Lions left eight runners of the game. Both Cason and Darby Hickey (Plano Senior) had a hit each in the game.
 
Making her season debut, Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School), allowed three earned runs in 6.0 innings and got the loss, despite striking out seven. Talia Tretton surrendered two unearned runs and picked up her first win of the season.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions face the Hawkeyes once again on Saturday at 4:45 p.m. and East Texas A&M ends the night against SIUE at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/tickets.