The Texas A&M-Commerce softball team proved to be too much for UTPB, sweeping the Falcons in a doubleheader by the scores of 7-0 and 10-1 on Friday night at the UTPB Softball Complex.
The Lions, who are ranked No. 5 in the country, took a couple of innings to get going in the first game, taking the lead in the third after Kayla Kilcrease homered to center field for a 1-0 lead and after that there was no turning back for Texas A&M-Commerce (15-2 overall, 5-0 Lone Star Conference).
Madison Schaefer later homered to center field in the top of the fifth inning for the Lions before Kilcrease hit her second home run of the day, this time scoring two runs to give Texas A&M-Commerce a 4-0 lead.
The Lions added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh, finishing the first game with 12 hits total while the Falcons (2-11, 0-2) had just three.
“We played pretty well,” said Texas A&M-Commerce head coach Richie Bruister. “I thought we had good defense and that we did a good job at the plate. We had a great start and we were able to capitalize off it.”
Emily Otto was the winning pitcher for the Lions in the first game while UTPB’s Sloan Springfield took the loss.
In game two, the Lions wasted no time, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
UTPB’s only run of the night came in the bottom of the second after Courtney Cagle singled to center field and April Arellano scored to make it a one-run game.
Texas A&M-Commerce responded with a three-run surge in the top of the third and five in the top of the fourth. The game ended after five innings and the Lions finished with 11 hits while the Falcons had two.
“We had great hits and we were pitching the ball really well in that second game,” Bruister said. “We got the ball out because the wind helped us out a lot so I was proud of our hitters.”
Katie Dean was the winning pitcher for the Lions in the second game while Abrie Castillo took the loss for UTPB.
“A&M-Commerce is definitely a tough team,” said UTPB head coach Tiala Tagaloa. “They’re pretty good and we just have to do better in certain situations. With the wind being the way that it is, we have to make plays and get on top of it and take the air out.”
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