CANYON, Texas  –  The West Texas A&M baseball team, fresh off of its thrilling 9-8 victory in 10 innings Tuesday at Southwestern Oklahoma State, continues on the road this weekend in Oklahoma as the Buffs play a three-game series with Oklahoma Christian and a single neutral site game against NAIA foe Dakota State Friday and Saturday in Edmond, Okla., on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University.
 
WT is slated to play a doubleheader Friday beginning at 1 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian and a single game against the Eagles on Saturday at 12 p.m., followed by a single game against Dakota State at approximately 3 p.m.   The format of games will be a seven-inning game Friday, followed by a nine-inning game Friday and a nine-inning game Saturday followed by a seven-inning game against Dakota State Saturday.
 
The Buffs are 3-2 on the year and have had all five games decided by one run thus far.  WT swept the season series with Southwestern Oklahoma State Tuesday, but needed to battle from behind and extra innings to do so.  WT jumped on the Bulldogs 5-0 in the first inning, only to see SWOSU rattle off six unanswered runs.  The Buffs battled back and regained the lead 8-6, but SWOSU had the equalizer once again.  
 
WT then loaded the bases in the top of the 10^th and used a sacrifice fly from junior Trace Hansen for the game winner.  Senior closer Sean Michel pitched the bottom of the frame for his second save of the season.  The offense, which had been struggling during the early part of the season, came alive with a season-high 14 hits as three Buffs had three hits each.  Junior Mason Shiflett was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and a RBI, while junior Josh Day was 3 for 4 with a run scored and three RBI and junior Matt Cole was 3 for 4 with a run scored.  The Buffs used six pitchers in the game as junior Justin McAllister (1-0) picked up the win in three innings of work.  He allowed just one hit and fanned three.
 
It was the second extra-inning game of the season for the Buffs as WT head coach Matt Vanderburg improved to 13-15 in extra-inning games in his seven-year tenure with the Buffs and the program now is 24-28 all-time in extra-inning games.  Tightly contested games have been the theme for the Buffs this season as Vanderburg now is 35-39 during his tenure in one run games and the program is 114-111 since 1994 in one run contests.
 
The Buffs are led by this season by Cole who leads the team with a .429 average in four starts.  He is 6 of 14 with two runs scored and a RBI.  Cole is 1 of 1 in stolen bases and has one put out with seven assists in eight chances.  Shiflett leads the team with seven hits and is second in average at a .412 clip in five starts at shortstop.  Shiflett has scored five times and has one triple, one home run and driven in four.  He is slugging a team-best .706 and reaching base at a .474 clip.  Junior Jace Reese is hitting .333 with six hits, one double and one triple, while senior Jacob Caples leads the team with three doubles. 
 
As a team, the Buffs are hitting .253 with 40 hits, seven doubles, two triples and one home run.  The Buffs have driven in 24 and scored 25 runs, while slugging .342.  WT has walked 16 times and fanned 17 with a .341 on base percentage.  In the field, the team has committed eight errors for a .955 fielding percentage.
 
On the bump, the Buffs are led by McAllister with a 1.69 ERA in two appearances and 5.1 innings.  He has six strikeouts and no walks.  Senior Tyler Gibson has pitched a team-high 10 innings, going nine innings in a no decision against No. 6 Southern Arkansas last weekend.  In that game, Gibson fanned nine and walked one as carries a 1.80 ERA.  Michel leads the team with two saves.
 
As a staff, the Buffs have a 4.61 ERA in 41 innings of work. The Buffs have allowed 43 hits with 24 runs allowed and 21 earned.  WT has walked 18 and fanned 44 as teams are hitting .269 against the Buffs.  The eight errors have led to three unearned runs.
 
Oklahoma Christian is 1-2 on the year after splitting a doubleheader at Southeastern Oklahoma State Tuesday.  OC dropped a 3-2 decision in 10 innings at Northeastern State Feb. 7 in its opener.  OC is the second-straight opponent the Buffs will face who will open its home slate against WT.
 
The Eagles finished 38-17-1 last season as they are transitioning to NCAA Division II.  OC was 19-11 (good for third) in the Heartland Conference and was unable to compete for a Heartland Championship or NCAA championship.  OC was sixth in the final NCBWA region poll a year ago and potentially could have received a NCAA at-large bid if the Eagles had been eligible. 
 
This season, the Eagles were picked fourth in the preseason Heartland Conference Poll.  OC returns a trio of all-conference players in pitcher Dillon Endecott, outfielder Jordan Lope and catcher Caden Cleveland.  Endecott earned honorable mention National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II All-America honors.  In addition, the Eagles were picked 10^th in the NCBWA Preseason Region Poll, while Lopez and Endecott were named to the preseason all-region second team.
 
The Eagles are led by Lopez who leads the team at a .444 average on 4 of 9 with two run scored, three doubles and one RBI.  He is slugging .778 and reaching base at a .583 clip.  Jackson Matthews is second in average at a .429 clip on a 3 of 7 with a run scored.
 
As a team, OC is hitting .327 with 32 hits in 98 at bats, scored 23 runs with nine doubles, three triples, three home runs and driven in 19.  The team is slugging .571 and reaching base at a .409 clip.  OC has eight errors on the year for a .927 fielding percentage.
 
On the mound, Endecott has one start with a no decision allowing six hits, two unearned runs, with one walk and six strikeouts over seven innings of work.  Kelby Reneau is 1-0 in five innings of work, allowing three hits, one unearned run, three walks and one strikeout.
 
As a staff, OC has a 5.24 ERA in 22.1 innings of work.  The Eagles have allowed 21 hits, 17 runs with 13 earned runs, walked 18 and fanned 15 as teams are hitting .256 against them. 
 
Dakota State is a NAIA program out of Madison, S.D.  The Trojans play in the North Star Athletic Association.  Saturday's game against WT will be DSU's first game of the season.  Last season the  Trojans were 21-28 and 6-10 in the NSAA. 

This season, Dakota State was picked fourth in the NSAA preseason poll.  DSU returns 19 players from last season including first team all-conference pitcher Zac Smith.  Dakota State is coached by fifth-year head coach Scott Hortness. 
 
This is the first meeting between both teams for WT on the diamond. 
 
Following this weekend, the Buffs continue on the road next weekend at New Mexico Highlands for three games and then end February beginning conference play at Texas A&M-Kingsville.  The Buffs return to Wilder Park Mar. 6-8 versus Eastern New Mexico.