Box ScoreSeason StatsKINGSVILLE, Texas – A pair of two run home runs by No. 3 Angelo State over the final three innings doomed the No. 2 West Texas A&M Buffs in a 6-5 loss in the first round of the 2015 Lone Star Conference baseball championship Thursday at Nolan Ryan Field. With the loss, the Buffs fell to 36-17 on the year, while ASU improved to 35-15.
The Buffs battled back from a 1-0 deficit for a 3-1 lead in the sixth, but a two run home run from Nehwon Norkeh and a two run shot Brett David gave ASU a 6-3 lead in the eighth. WT wouldn't go away quietly, however, as the Buffs plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth for the 6-5 final.
It was the 24
th game decided by one run this season for the Buffs as WT fell to 14-10 in one run games this season and had its eight-game streak of one-run wins snapped with the loss. The Buffs will face the loser of top-seeded Texas A&M-Kingsville and No. 4-seed Tarleton State Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in an elimination game.
Both teams tallied 11 hits in the contest as the Buffs were led by junior
Matt Cole and senior
Justin Hargrove as each had three hits. Cole tallied a RBI, while Hargrove scored two runs. WT had ample opportunities in the contest as the Buffs stranded 12 runners on base and once with the bases loaded. WT senior pitcher
Tyler Gibson took the loss (6-3) in 6.1 innings, allowing nine hits, four earned runs, one walk and he fanned two.
The Rams were led by David as he was 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored including his fifth home run of the year. Norkeh went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI. LSC Pitcher of the Year, Steve Naemark, improved to 9-1 on the year going 6.1 innings, allowing nine hits, three runs – one earned, two walks and six strikeouts. Closer Graylon Brown earned his 11
th save of the season pulling into a tie for first in the LSC with WT senior
Paul Lujan.
Angelo State broke open a scoreless contest in the third on a ground out, double play for a 1-0 lead. WT left four on base in the first three innings.
The Buffs evened the game in the bottom of the fifth as senior
Ryan March drew a two out walk and advanced to second on a throwing error by Naemark on a pickoff attempt. Cole singled through the right side tying the game. WT added two runs in the sixth as junior
Jace Reese began the frame with a single to left. Hargrove beat out a sacrifice bunt for two on with nobody out. Senior
Johnny Gaines singled to center, scoring two runs and was out on a bang-bang play at home for a 3-1 lead.
A single and Norkeh's 10
th home run of the year tied the game at three in the top of the seventh with one out. Following a pitching change, ASU added an insurance run as LSC Player of the Year Paxton DeLaGarza singled through the left side for a 4-3 lead. David then homered in the eighth for a 6-3 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Buffs loaded the bases, but a fly out to center ended the threat. Down to their final at bat, the Buffs used a hit batsman and a walk for two one. A bases loaded wild pitch score the first run and a RBI single from senior
Aaron Blair plated the second for a 6-5 deficit. Brown got a strikeout to end the game and earn the save.
