COMMERCE – Despite the East Texas A&M University softball team tying the game with a two-run home run in Friday's nightcap by Tatum Wright, the Houston Christian Huskies scored two unearned runs in the seventh to take the series by scores of 1-0 and 5-3 at the John Cain Family Softball Complex.
 
GAME 1: HCU 1, EAST TEXAS A&M 0
The only run of the game came in the fourth as Heidi Maytum singled to left with two outs in the inning. After a single up the middle by Karlie Barba to advance Maytum to second, an RBI single to right by Chloe Foster brought her in.
 
The Lions left four runners on base in the game, while the Huskies left seven. Both Wright (Frisco – Centennial) and Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.) went 2 for 3 in the game.
 
Emma Olsen (Elk Grove, Calif.) took the loss in the circle, allowing just the one run in the fourth. She struck out one, while Cara Pitman got the complete-game shutout win. She struck out one and allowed five hits.
 
GAME 2: HCU 5, EAST TEXAS A&M 3
Maddy Bailey put the Huskies ahead in the second game with a two-run home run in the top of the first. Moreno added a solo shot in the third.
 
The Lions scored their first run of the day in the bottom of the third with Gracie Alejo (Waco – Connally) hitting a sacrifice fly to right as Layni Kimura (Westminster, Calif.) came around to score.
 
Wright hit her 14^th home run of the season to tie the game in the sixth as KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.) also scored on the trot. Wright now has 29 career home runs, moving into top five in program history.
 
With the first two outs recorded in the top of the seventh, Moreno reached on a throwing error and was pinch run for by Leah Hammack, who scored on a double to left center by Bailey, while Barba plated Bailey with a single to left.
 
Victoria Masters (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) was charged with three earned runs in the complete-game loss. Hammack collected the win, allowing one earned run on three hits in the seven-inning performance.
 
The series loss on Friday eliminates the Lions from contention for a spot into the Southland Conference Tournament with an overall record of 6-42 overall and 1-22 in conference play.
 
 The Huskies have won their fourth series over the Lions and are now 9-34 overall, 6-17 in conference play, and 9-2 all-time against East Texas A&M.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions and the Huskies close out the series at noon on Saturday, which is part of Spring Fest. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/tickets.