Watch Erwin's Complete Record Breaking At-Bat (YouTube)
PORTALES, New Mexico – The #2 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M showed off their offense power once again on Friday afternoon as they hit 13 long balls as a team in 12 innings including two by senior outfielder
Renee Erwin as the Anna, Texas native became the LSC's all-time homerun leader in a doubleheader sweep of Eastern New Mexico in Portales. The Lady Buffs move to 35-6 (19-3 LSC) on the season while the Zias fall to 16-22 (3-15 LSC), WT's nine homeruns in the nightcap tied an LSC single game record.
"Pretty big offensive day, really proud of our kids for coming out and playing well. There's not a lot that can be said about Renee that hasn't already been, she's a great player and even better person and it was really special to have Kim on staff and in the dugout when she broke the record" said WT head coach
Kevin Blaskowski "Our pitchers threw it well in the circle and defensively we were solid behind them, now we have a little time to rest and get ready for two more big LSC games tomorrow."
The Lady Buffs return to action tomorrow afternoon as they complete the LSC weekend series with first pitch of a doubleheader set for 1:00 p.m. CT at Zia Field in Portales, New Mexico.
Game #1#2 West Texas A&M 13, Eastern New Mexico 2
The Lady Buffs wasted no time scoring in the top of the first inning as
Stacey Ramirez was hit by the first pitch of the game followed two batters later by a
Renee Erwin RBI triple off of the right center field wall, WT wasn't done yet as
Allie Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and one out followed by an
Ashley Hardin RBI walk for the early 3-0 lead. The Zias responded in the home half of the inning as they used a walk, groundout and wild pitch to move a runner to third base with two outs followed by an RBI single up the middle to cut the lead to 3-1.
Ramirez led off the second with a bunt single followed by a
Brittany Gehle single down the right field line to extend her hitting streak to 10 games, Erwin drove in her second RBI of the game with a sacrafice fly to center for the first out before
Kaisha Dacosin doubled to left center to move runners to second and third.
Lacey Taylor laced a single up the middle to score two runs as the Lady Buffs extended their lead to 6-1.
The Lady Buffs used the long ball to add to their lead in the top of the fifth inning as
Allie Cranfill connected on her 53rd career homerun with a solo blast to left field with one to stretch the WT lead to 7-1. The Zias responded with a solo shot of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning by Audrey Velasquez down the left field line to cut the lead to 7-2 to knock
Kilee Halbert from the game,
Tori Bayer entered and got two outs in a single play as she forced a ground ball to Ramirez at short that flipped to Gehle followed by a throw to first that wasn't in time but Cranfill made the heads up play as the hitter rounded the bag and the senior used the tag to end the inning with WT leading 7-2.
The long ball came into effect again in the top of the seventh inning as Cranfill hit her second long ball in as many at-bats followed two batters later by a
Hannah Limmer solo shot to left center. Erwin wouldn't be outdone as the senior tied the Lone Star Conference career record with her 56th homerun with a three run last to left center to give WT the 13-2 lead. The long ball tied former Lady Buff All-American and current volunteer assistant
Kim LeComte and former Midwestern State standout Kim Jerrick for the conference record of 56 career homeruns.
Halbert picked up the win (6-0) in the circle for the Lady Buffs, giving up two runs (both earned) on six hits with one walk in her 4.1 innings of work while Bayer finished off the last 2.2 inning, giving up no runs on two hits with no walks and no strikeouts.
Game #2#2 West Texas A&M 23, Eastern New Mexico 0 (5 Innings)
The Lady Buffs started off the scoring in the first inning of the nightcap as Dacsosin drove a pitch down the right field line for a two RBI double followed one pitch later by a Taylor two run bomb to right center field to give the Lady Buffs the early 4-0 lead.
WT added to their lead in the top of the second inning as Limmer registered her second dinger of the afternoon with a two run homerun to straightaway center field with no outs. Erwin made history just three batters later as the senior from Anna, Texas connected on her 57th career homerun, a shot down the left field line, to break the Lone Star Conference career mark held by LeComte and Jerrick as WT ran their lead to 8-0. The Lady Buffs weren't done yet as Dacosin got in on the homerun parade with a solo shot to left to go back-to-back, Cranfill connected on her third of the day with a three run shot still with one out followed by a Hardin solo shot to left for the 13-0 lead after an inning and a half of play.
The Lady Buffs weren't done yet as Smith got in on the action in the top of the third inning with a thee run shot to left center field with one out to run the WT lead to 16-0. WT added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as Dacosin connected on her second long ball of the game with a three run shot to left field with one out followed later in the inning by a Hardin grand slam to left center field to stretch the lead to 23-0 as WT hit their ninth homerun of the game to tie an LSC record with the 2009 Angelo State team who hit nine at the old Lady Buff Yard in Canyon in a 19-9 ASU win. WT used the opportunity to clear their bench in the fourth and fifth inning as
Bailey Anderson singled to right field with one out in the fifth for her first hit in a Lady Buff uniform as WT took the 23-0 victory. Hokianga moved to 15-4 on the season as the senior left hander allowed no runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in the complete game victory.
