COMMERCE, Texas – The top ranked Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M dropped their first game of the season in the opener of a Lone Star Conference series at Texas A&M-Commerce but  WT responded in the nightcap to split Saturday action with the Lions at the John Cain Family Softball Field in Commerce, Texas. The Lady Buffs are now 31-1 (13-1 LSC) on the season while the Lions move to 23-7 (9-5 LSC).
 
The Lady Buffs and Lions conclude their four-game LSC series tomorrow afternoon in Commerce with first pitch of a doubleheader set for 1 p.m.
 
GAME #1
The Lady Buffs wasted no time in the top of the first inning as Stacey Ramirez reached via a bunt single and advanced to third on an errant Lions throw followed by Brittany Gehle being hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners with no outs, Shea Ibrahim walked to load the bases followed by a fielder's choice groundout to the circle for an out at the plate. Commerce responded with a strikeout before Allie Smith laced a single to third base to give WT the early 1-0 lead.
 
The Lions would take advantage of a WT error with two outs in the home half of the first inning to score two runs followed by an RBI single to right field by Haley Colwell and an RBI double to right to run the lead to 4-1. Commerce added to their lead in the bottom of the second inning with a Luci Ponce infield single with one outs to run the lead to 5-1. TAMUC added to their lead in the home half of the third as another WT error allows a Lion to cross the plate at 6-1.
 
The Lady Buffs showed life in the top of the sixth inning as Brittany Cruz crushed a frozen rope solo bomb the other way over the right center field fence followed layer in the inning with an Ibrahim RBI double off of the right field fence to cut the lead to 6-3. 
 
WT would've go down without a fight as they put runners on second and third in the seventh with an Andrea Sitter double to left field with no outs to drive in a run before TAMUC's Katie Dean came in and closed the door with a pair of strikeouts and a popup to end the game, 6-4. Kilee Halbert picked up the loss (12-1) in the circle for the Lady Buffs, giving up six runs (one earned) on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts in the complete game decision. 
 
GAME #2
The Lady Buffs took the early lead in the nightcap as Smith came thru with the bases loaded again as the sophomore laced a single to third base with two outs to give WT the 1-0 lead. The Lions loaded the bases with no outs in the home half of the second before a pair of fielder's choice groundouts and a fly ball to Sitter in left to head to the 3rd with WT leading 1-0. WT extended their lead in the top of the fifth inning as Lacey Taylor was hit by a pitch with the cases loaded and one out to run the lead to 2-0.
 
The teams traded runs as the Lions got on the board with a fielder's choice bloop before WT responded with an Ibrahim RBI walk with the bases loaded followed by a Taylor two win single to make it 5-1. The Lions answered as they out runners on second and third with no outs to knock Alexis Alfonso from the game as Tori Bayer entered, an illegal pitch plated a Commerce run followed by a flyout to Ashley Hardin in center before the inning ended with a strikeout and popup to the circle at 5-2. That's all the lead that the LSC's save leader would need as the senior finished the game for the 5-2 win. Alfonso picked up the win in the circle (6-0) for the Lady Buffs, giving up two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts while Bayer registered her sixth save of the season, allowing no runs on no hits with no walks and two strikeouts in the final 2.0 innings of play.