COMMERCE – The tying run was in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh in both games for the East Texas A&M University softball team on Friday, but the Lions fell in matching 4-3 scores to SIUE and North Texas to begin the Lion Classic at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.
 
The Lions have lost four in a row to drop to 5-8 on the season, while the Cougars and the Mean Green went 1-1 in their two games in Commerce on Friday. SIUE is 4-8 overall and North Texas is 4-9.
 
GAME 1: SIUE 4, EAST TEXAS A&M 3
Juztyne Torres singled to the left center to lead off the game and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Abby Harvell drew a walk, allowing Torrres to advance to third. Raegan Duncan hit a sacrifice fly to right, plating Torres.
 
In the bottom of the first, Jenna Joyce (Royse City) reached on a fielding error and advanced to second on the play. She advanced to third on a fly out and then score on a double by KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.).
 
With two outs in the top of the second, Gretchen Trello singled to short and then advanced to second on a passed ball and came around to score on an RBI single by Hailey Strain. Arissah Garza singled through the left side, then went to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and then scored on a wild pitch.
 
The Lions tied the game in the fourth. Charli Anger (Lubbock – Cooper) drew a walk and then advanced on a wild pitch. Cosek drew a walk and a sacrifice bunt by Gracie Alejo (Waco – Connally) advanced both runners. Aaliyah Wilcox (Covington, Ga.) plated both Anger and Cosek with a two-run single up the middle.
 
In the sixth, Jesslyn Stairs singled to left, followed by a singled to short by Garza. Both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Aidyn Barrera. Trello reached on a fielder's choice as the Lions tagged out Stairs at the plate.
 
On a double-steal attempt, Garza scored, while Trello was out caught stealing at first.
 
Both Joyce and Cosek had two hits each in the game. Madison Kloepper (Llano) went the distance in the circle for the Lions, but got the loss as she allowed four earned runs.
 
For the Cougars, Kiana Villa came in with the game tied and tossed 2.2 shutout innings for the win and Mia Volpert collected the save with a shutout seventh inning. Garza went 2 for 3.
 
GAME 2: NORTH TEXAS 4, EAST TEXAS A&M 3
After a scoreless first two innings, Ariaha Mitchell hit a two-out single to left center. She came around to score on a double to left center by Madison Conley. After a single by Elizabeth Moffitt to advance Conely to third, she scored on a double steal attempt with Moffitt being caught stealing at second.
 
The Mean Green added two more runs in the top of the sixth. Mitchell singled to left, followed by a singled through the left side by Conley. After a Lion pitching change, Moffitt singled to third, loading the bases and Addie Perry came in to pinch run for Conley.
 
Laila Nobles came in to pinch hit and reached on a fielder's choice as the Lions got the force out of Mitchell at the plate. Eva Daniels singled to shallow left, allowing both Perry and Moffitt to score.
 
The first run of the game for the Lions came in the sixth. Anger hit a base hit downed the right field line with an out in the inning. After a line out, Avery Rohlman (Littleton, Colo.) singled through the left side as Anger advanced to third. Alejo plated Anger with a single up the middle.
 
Joyce singled through the left side with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Layni Kimura (Westminster, Calif.) also singled to center and then both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch as Kay Olguin (Fontana, Calif.) came in to pinch run for Joyce.
 
Anger plated both runners with a single to shallow left. Cosek followed with a single, but the Mean Green secured the win with a strikeout.
 
Kimura went 3 for 4, while Anger went 2 for 4. Victoria Masters (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) allowed three earned runs in five innings for the loss.
 
Anneca Anderson picked up her third win of the season, allowing three earned runs in 6.2 innings. Britney Lewinski came in to get the final out of the game for the save.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions face St. Thomas at 3:45 p.m. and North Texas at 6 p.m. on Saturday to continue the Lion Classic. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/tickets.