Box Score

Season Stats

QuickTrip Division II Classic Tournament Page

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas  –   The West Texas A&M baseball team dropped its first game of the 2015 QuickTrip Division II Classic 4-3 to Arkansas-Monticello on a cold and rainy day at QuickTrip Park.  With the loss, the Buffs fell to 2-1 on the year, while UAM improved to 1-0.
 
WT had just four hits in the game as the temperatures were in the high 20s at first pitch.  Junior Mason Shiflett went 1 for 3 with a home run, while junior Trace Hansen also was 1 for 3 with a run scored.  Junior Jace Reese went 1 for 4 with two RBI.
 
WT pitcher Brooks Trujillo (0-1) went 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs with five walks and six strikeouts in his Buffalo debut. 
 
The first five innings were a pitcher's duel as neither team could capitalize on runners on base and in scoring position.  WT stranded five runners through the first four innings. 
 
The Weevils put two on in the bottom of the fourth, but Trujillo came up with two big strikeouts and a ground out to first to end the inning preserving the scoreless tie.  Trujillo again got out of a two on jam with his sixth strikeout in the bottom of the fifth.
 
UAM pitcher Zach McKnight retired the Buffs in order in the sixth retiring nine straight.  Corey Wood began the bottom of the sixth with a triple to right center.   A 3-2 liner to left field by Mitchell Dornblut broke the tie plating Wood.  WT junior Matt Cole almost made a great diving play on the ball.  The Buffs made a call to the bullpen in favor of junior Luke Wiechec replacing Trujillo.  A wild pitch plated Dornblut for a 2-0 score with two away. 
 
The Buffs then made their second call to the bullpen in the sixth in favor of junior Justin McAllister.  Brian Ray singled in the third run of the inning on a 2-2 count and advanced to second.  McAllister got out of the inning with a strikeout for a 3-0 deficit.
 
On a 3-2 count in the top of the seventh, Shiflett put the Buffs on the board with a solo home run to left field as it was the first round-tripper of the season for the Buffs and snapped  a streak of nine-straight Buffs retired by McKnight.
 
UAM added a run in the bottom of the seventh pushing the lead to 4-1.  McKnight went seven innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. 
 
Following the pitching change in the top of the eighth, the Buffs put two on with one out and moved them to second and third with a pitch.  Reese singled through the right side for two RBI pulling WT within 4-3. 
 
The Buffs put a runner at first in the ninth, but were unable to get the tying run.
 
McKnight (1-0) earned the win going seven innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, two walks and two strikeouts.  Closer Jeff Harvill earned the save.  Wood led the way for UAM going 2 for 3 with two runs scored and the triple.  Dornblut went 1 for 4 with a RBI and a run scored.
 
The Buffs will look to rebound Friday concluding their two games in the tournament against No. 6 Southern Arkansas at 10 a.m. at QuickTrip Park.   Fans can access live stats and streaming at www.gobuffsgo.com.