PORTALES, New Mexico – West Texas A&M's
Renee Erwin had another record breaking day on Saturday afternoon as the senior outfielder from Anna, Texas became the Lone Star Conference career record holder for RBI (236) and runs scored (252) as the #2 Lady Buffs picked-up a weekend sweep over the Zias of Eastern New Mexico in a pair of big victories at Zia Park in Portales, New Mexico. The wins extend the WT winning streak to 13 games as they move to 37-6 (21-3 LSC) while the Zias fall to 16-24 (3-17 LSC) on the season.
The Lady Buffs return to Canyon on Tuesday afternoon as they host a non-conference doubleheader against the Eagles of Oklahoma Christian with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. at Schaeffer Park in WT's only two games of the week before an off-weekend.
Game #1#2 West Texas A&M 17, Eastern New Mexico 2 (5 Innings)
The Lady Buffs wasted no time scoring in the top of the first inning as a walk with a pair of singles, including a
Brittany Gehle single up the middle to stretch her hitting streak to 12 games, loaded the bases before
Kaisha Dacosin stayed hot at the plate with a grand slam to left field for the early 4-0 lead.
Ashley Hardin doubled to the left center field gap with two outs to score
Lacey Taylor from second base followed later in the inning by a
Hannah Limmer two run homerun down the left field line for the 7-0 lead.
WT's 16th long ball of the weekend helped the Lady Buffs extend their lead in the top of the second inning as Taylor connected on a monster shot down the right field line for the 8-0 lead, Eastern scores their first run of the afternoon with two outs with an RBI groundout to Gehle at second to cut the lead to 8-1. WT added to their lead in the top of the third inning as Dacosin drove in her fifth run of the game with an RBI walk with the bases loaded followed by a Taylor RBI groundout and an
Allie Smith two run double to center as WT took the 12-1 lead.
The Lady Buffs added to their lead again in the top of the fourth inning as Hardin led off the frame with a solo homerun to straight away center field to make it 13-2, ENMU cut into the lead again in the bottom of the inning with a bases loaded walk. WT would strike again in the fifth as
Andrea Sitter drive in a run with a single back to the circle followed by a Hardin two run triple off the top of the center field wall to give WT the 17-2 win.
Newcomb picked up the win (9-1) for the Lady Buffs, giving up two runs (both earned) on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in her 3.2 innings of work while
Tori Bayer allowed no runs on one hit with one walk and a strikeout in the final 1.1 innings.
Game #2#2 West Texas A&M 21, Eastern New Mexico 7
The powerful WT offense made their mark early in the finale as Gehle doubled off of the left center field wall to score
Stacey Ramirez as the junior extended her hitting streak to 13 games followed by RBI's from Erwin, Taylor,
Allie Cranfill and Hardin as the Lady Buffs took the early 5-0 lead after a half inning of play. The Zias responded in the bottom of the first inning as they plated four runs on two hits with one Lady Buff error highlighted by a two run homerun to cut the lead to 5-4.
Erwin set another career mark in the top of the second inning as the senior from Anna, Texas became the Lone Star Conference's all-time leader in RBI to run her four-year total to 234 with a three run blast to left center field to extend the WT lead to 8-4 with no outs. Erwin sets the record as she passed former teammate and Lady Buff All-American
Kim LeComte who also serves as the team's volunteer assistant coach who had 232 runs batted in during her storied career. The Lady Buffs weren't done with the long ball yet as Hardin led off the top of the third with a solo bomb to left field followed later in the frame by an Erwin RBI double to left center with one out.
The Zias cut into the lead again in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI double to make it 11-5, the Lady Buffs responded with a Smith RBI single to left center in the top of the fifth before ENMU answered again with a solo homerun to make the score 12-6. The teams traded zeroes in the sixth inning followed by an Erwin single thru the left side to start off the seventh, Dacosin crushed a two run homerun to straight away center field with no outs for WT's 20th homerun of the weekend. WT wasn't done yet as Smith and Sitter hit back-to-back doubles followed by a Hardin three run blast to center field to make it 18-6 with no outs. The Lady Buffs weren't done yet as Taylor walked on a full count offering with the bases loaded and two outs followed by a Smith two run single up the middle to stretch the WT lead to 21-6 before ENMU added one run on an RBI single with two outs in the home half of the seventh before a fly out to center field ended the game at 21-7.
Hokianga picked out the win (16-4) for the Lady Buffs, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits with three walks and five strikeouts in the complete game victory.
