COMMERCE – A pair of come-from-behind wins helped the East Texas A&M University softball team sweep both ends of Friday's doubleheader via scores of 5-4 and 4-3, respectively, over the Northwestern State Lady Demons at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.
The Lions improve to 9-25 overall and 5-6 in Southland Conference play with the two wins over the Lady Demons. The nine wins match the most in a season for the Lions in the Division I era and the five conference wins are also tied for the most since joining the SLC.
Northwestern State drops to 3-30 overall and 0-11 in SLC action. East Texas A&M has won five of eight games against Northwestern State over the last three seasons.
Game One: EAST TEXAS A&M 5, NORTHWESTERN STATE 4
After a scoreless first inning,
Aaliyah Wilcox (Covington, Ga.) hit a solo home run to straight center to put the Lions ahead 1-0 in the second inning.
In the top of the fourth, Aly Delafield singled up the middle with two outs and Brynn Daniel put the Lady Demons ahead with a two-run home run to left. Northwestern State had two runners on, but the Lions used a fly out to end the inning.
Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to center field.
Two runs came around to score in the fifth for Northwestern State. Camryn Becnel drew a walk with no outs, Sydney Livers singled to third, while the Lions used a fielder's choice to tag out Becnel at first, as Cameron Curtis reached.
Following a single from DJ Lynch that plated Livers, Delafield reached on a fielding error to continue the inning. After a Lion pitching change, Daniel drove in Curtis with a sacrifice fly to right.
Hailey Montemayor (Lubbock – Monterrey) singled to left to lead off the fifth and was pinch run for by
KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.).
Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.) advanced Kosek to third on a sacrifice bunt and she scored on a one-run single up the middle by
Maddie Cason (Honey Grove), who came around to score on a two-run home run down the left field line by
Emma Rodrigues (Little Elm – John Paul II).
The Lady Demons, trailing by one, had runners at second and third with two outs in the seventh, but the Lions picked up the win with a strikeout.
Julia Sanchez (The Kinkaid School) started the game for the Lions and allowed three earned runs in 4.1 innings.
Kate Houser (Lorena) came in relief and tossed 2.2 shutout innings to pick up the win.
Brooklynn Stohler got the loss for NSU, allowing five earned runs in 4.1 innings. Offensively for the Lady Demons, both Lynch and Riley Schwisow had two hits each in the game.
Wilcox and Rodrigues went 2 for 3 each in the game for the Lions.
Game Two: EAST TEXAS A&M 4, NORTHWESTERN STATE 3
Livers drew a walk to lead off the game and advanced to second on a ground out by Delafield. Delafield was originally called safe, but the Lions challenged the call, and it was overturned.
Livers stole third and a rain delay of 24 minutes followed. After the stoppage of play, Lynch reached on a Lion throwing error as Livers scored. The Lions used a double play to end the inning.
With an out in the second inning, Savannah Coleman homered to right field and doubled the Lady Demon lead.
After the Lions left the bases loaded in the second, Livers doubled down the left field line and Delafield walked to put two on with no outs. After both runners advanced on a foul out, Daniel hit a sacrifice fly to left to plate Livers, but the Lions tagged out Delafield at third to end the inning.
Wilcox drew a walk with no outs in the fourth and was pinch run for by Cosek. After a strikeout,
Emmie Miehe (Cameron Park, Calif.) singled to center. Both Cosek and Miehe scored on a two-run double to center by Montemayor.
With an out in the sixth, Miehe drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Montemayor also drew a walk and was pinch run for by Neveah Terrell (Pennsauken, N.J.) as Miehe went to third on a passed ball.
Arzola singled through the left side as Miehe scored. The Lions had runners at second and third to end the inning. After a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning,
Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper) drew a four-pitch walk and then stole second. Wright secured the walk-off win for the Lions with a double to right field.
TATUM WRIGHT WALK-OFF HIGHLIGHT
The Lady Demons were held to just four hits in the game, as Livers scored two of the three runs. Kaymie Chandler started the game and allowed three earned runs in 5.1 innings, while Grace Ann McDonald got the loss, allowing the go-ahead run for the Lions in the bottom of the seventh.
Maddie Muller (Frisco – Centennial) got the start for the Lions and surrendered three earned runs in 5.1 innings, while Houser pitched a perfect 1.2 innings in relief to pick up her second win of the day.
At the plate for the Lions, Cason went 2 for 3, totaling two of team's six hits.
UP NEXT
The Lions go for the series sweep at noon on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at
LionAthletics.com/tickets.
-ETAMU-
