Box ScoreSeason StatsCANYON, Texas – Three runs in the sixth and a go ahead run in the eighth sparked West Texas A&M to a 4-3 victory over visiting Tarleton State Sunday afternoon at Wilder Park. With the win, the Buffs swept the four game series and improved to 18-10 on the year and 10-6 in Lone Star Conference play, while Tarleton State fell to 9-12 and 3-8 in league play.
The wins marked the first four game series sweep of the Texans since April 21-22, 2006, also in Canyon. The Buffs tallied four runs on 12 hits with one error, while TSU had three runs on seven hits with two errors. WT had balanced hitting as four players had two hits each. Senior
Max Brennen went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI with a double, while junior
Trace Hansen was 2 for 5 with a RBI and a triple. Jonathan Schmitz led the way for TSU going 2 for 3 with a RBI.
WT junior
Brooks Trujillo pitched six innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs, with two walks and three strikeouts as he didn't factor into the decision. Senior
Sean Michel (1-0) earned the win in relief, while senior
Paul Lujan picked up his sixth save of the season. Kyle Gottardy went 5.1 innings for TSU, allowing seven hits, three earned runs and fanned five, while also not factoring into the decision. John Kresta took the loss in relief going the final 1.1 innings allowing three hits, one earned run and struck out two.
Tarleton State tied the game at three in the top of the eighth as Dalton Weeks singled and scored on an error for the 3-3 score. In the bottom of the frame, Brennen hit a one out single to center, followed by the second out of the inning, senior
Ryan March singled down the right field line putting the go ahead run at third. From there, Hansen doubled home Brennen as March was cut down at the plate to end the inning.
Lujan pitched a perfect ninth for the save and the sweep.
Tarleton State opened the scoring in the first inning with a leadoff single to left center from Alec Humphreys and a sacrifice bunt moved him to second. Schmitz doubled to left putting the Texans up 1-0.
The Texans held the 1-0 lead until the sixth when WT senior
Aaron Blair doubled down the left field line to begin the inning. Senior
Dylan Dyson brought Blair home with a single up the middle on a 0-2 count. Following a pitching change, a walk loaded the bases and Brennen doubled down the right field line plating two runs for a 3-1 lead.
Despite the recent offensive struggles, the Buffs look to have found their groove this weekend as they hit .322 for the weekend. The Buffs were 38 of 118 from the plate and outscored TSU 20-7. WT hit five doubles and six triples. The staff held TSU to a .205 average and a 1.69 ERA, while striking out 30 and walking just four.
WT returns to the road at Cameron March 27 at 2 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Mar. 28 beginning at 4 p.m. and a single game Mar. 29 at 1 p.m.
