Box Score

Season Stats

KINGSVILLE, Texas  – Four runs by Tarleton State over the final two innings doomed the West Texas A&M baseball team in a 7-6 loss in an elimination semifinal of the 2015 Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship Friday evening at Nolan Ryan Field.  With the loss, WT fell to 35-18 and will have to wait and see if they earn an at-large berth in the NCAA South Central Regional, which will be announced Sunday evening at 9 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. 
 
Tarleton State used a two run home run by Jonathan Schmitz in the eighth inning to pull within 6-5 and tied the game in the ninth with a RBI triple and RBI single for the lead.  This came after WT plated four runs in the seventh to erase a 3-1 deficit. 
 
The 7-6 game was the 25^th game this season WT has played which was decided by one run and second in the LSC Baseball Championship this season.  WT now is 14-11 in one run games this year.
 
The Buffs jumped on the board in the bottom of the first as senior Ryan March began the frame with a single through the left side and junior Matt Cole singled to left.  A sacrifice bunt from junior Trace Hansen moved the runners to second and third and junior Josh Day grounded out to second scoring the run for a 1-0 lead.
 
A two out, 1-2 count, single by Jonathan Schmitz and a RBI double by Evan Robinson tied the game at one for the Texans in the top of the third.  It was the first run for the Texans in the last 15 innings dating back to their LSC baseball tournament opening win against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
Tarleton State's Landon Merka hit a one out, two run home run to right field in the top of the fourth giving the Texans a 3-1 lead.  Elijah Christenson hit a two out single to left for runners at the corners.  An intentional walk loaded the bases as the Buffs made a call to the bullpen in favor of senior Sean Michel.  Michel got out of the jam with a ground out to third to leave the bags full.
 
Tarleton again put two on with one out in the top of the fifth with a walk and a single to center.  A big out at second got the second out for the Buffs.  Michel got his second strikeout of the game to end the threat. 
 
Junior Johnny Gaines opened the bottom of the fifth with a double to left and an error at second put two on with nobody out for the Buffs.  A double play got two outs, but Gaines scored for a 3-2 deficit. 
 
The Texans put two on in the top of the seventh with two out.  After a mound meeting by the Buffs, Michel and the Buffs got out of the jam with a fielder's choice to short.  It marked the eighth and ninth runners Tarleton State has stranded in the contest.
 
A leadoff walk for the Buffs in the bottom of the seventh on four pitches brought a change for the Texans on the mound in favor of Mitch Williams who relieved Matt Herrick.  A sacrifice bunt moved the tying run into scoring position for WT.  Gaines fouled off four pitches on a 2-2 count and then loaded the count with a ball in the dirt.  On the 3-2 pitch, Gaines belted a RBI double, his second two-bagger of the game, to tie the game at three.  TSU made another move on the mound following the hit.
 
Hunter Houston relieved Williams as March advanced Gaines to third with a ground out.  Following a walk for runners at the corners, Houston served up a RBI double to junior  Trance Hansen as the Buffs took their first lead of the game at 4-3 and runners at second and third.  Junior Josh Day singled to third and advanced to second on an error plating two runs for a 6-3 lead.
 
Senior Paul Lujan relieved Michel for the eight as Michel went 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, one walk and fanning three.  Senior Kyle Olason began the game going 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, with one walk and one strikeout.
 
Lujan got the first out and walked the second batter, but came back with a three-swing strikeout for the second out.  Schmitz belted a two run home run to left pulling the Texans within 6-5.  A bunt single put a runner on first with two away following the blast.  A single to left center by Alex Humphreys put runners at the corners.  A ground out to second and sliding play at first ended the inning and prevented the tying run scoring. 
 
WT had two on with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth looking to add to its lead, but was unable to score going to the top of the ninth with the 6-5 lead.
 
Lujan got the first out with an infield pop out to second.  Merka put the tying run at second with one out.  On a 3-2 count to Matt Olive, he tripled home the tying run.  Pinch-hitter Peter McMahon singled home the go ahead run for a 7-6 TSU lead.  A single to center put two on with one out as WT went to the bullpen.  Sophomore Eliot King relieved Lujan and got a pair of fly outs to center to end the inning.
 
Hansen belted a one out single to center for the Buffs in the bottom of the ninth.  Houston got a line out double play to second to end the game.   
 
The Buffs were led by two hits from Cole, Hansen and Gaines.  Day went 1 for 5 with three RBI to lead the team.  Lujan (5-2) took the loss in 1.1 innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs, while walking one and fanning two.
                                                                                  
The Texans belted out 18 hits in the game and had seven players with multi-hit games, led by Schmitz who went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBI.  Houston (1-2) earned the win, pitching the final 2.2 innings, allowing five hits, two unearned runs, one walk and he fanned three.