Box Score

Season Stats

CANYON, Texas – On his birthday, senior Justin Hargrove hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifting the West Texas A&M baseball team to a 6-5 victory over visiting Lubbock Christian Tuesday evening.  With the win, WT improved to 26-14 on the year, while LCU fell to 20-19.
 
WT battled back from a 5-0 deficit in the contest, scoring six runs over the final four innings for the win.  With the win, WT improved to 9-9 on the year in one run games and was the first season sweep of the Chaps in program history.  It also marked the first back-to-back wins against LCU since April, 2002.
 
The Buffs scored six runs on eight hits and committed three errors, while LCU had five runs on 11 hits with four miscues.  WT was led by senior Josh Day who went 2 for 4 with two RBI, a triple and a run scored.  Junior Matt Cole was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a RBI.  LCU had five players with two hits each.  Hargrove's walk-off hit was his only of the game.
 
On the mound, WT senior Sean Michel (4-0) took the win in relief pitching 0.2 innings with a strikeout.  Guillaume Blanchette (4-4) took the loss as he allowed the final two runs – both unearned in 1.2 innings of work, along with two hits, two walks and he fanned two.
 
The Chaps loaded the bases in the top of the second with two outs courtesy of a single and a pair of walks.  WT starting pitcher Luke Wiechec got out of the jam with a ground out to short leaving the bags full of Chaps.
 
LCU got on the board in the top of the third with a one out RBI double from Gerado Arzaga for a 1-0 lead.  Nikko Velarde doubled home Arzaga down the left field line for a 2-0 lead.  WT senior reliever Kyle Olason got a strikeout for the second out, but an infield single loaded the bases and Olason got out of the jam with a fielder's choice as the Chaps left  the bases full for the second-straight inning.
 
A two out single by Cole was the first hit of the game for the Buffs in the bottom of the third.  Jay Rawlins held the team hitless to that point, but the Buffs had a runner on each inning.  Olason and the Buffs retired the Chaps in the fourth as LCU left two on base in the frame and 10 stranded to that point.
 
Day, the Lone Star Conference Player of the Week, began the bottom of the fourth with a single through the right side, but the Buffs grounded into a 643 double play following the Day single.  A fly out to right ended the fourth.
 
Lubbock Christian used two errors by the Buffs in the top of the sixth as Josh Powe reached on an error with two out scoring Brett Wilhelm for a 3-0 lead.  Arzaga then came up with a single up the middle for a 4-0 lead.  Velarde hit a double to right for a 5-0 lead and the third unearned run of the frame.
 
The Buffs put two on with a walk and a hit batsman with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth as LCU began to warm up some relievers in the bullpen.  Day belted a two RBI triple to left center getting the Buffs on the board and chasing Rawlins from the game in favor of Matthew Lusk.  Lusk tossed a wild pitch on his first offering scoring Day for a 5-3 score.  Senior Jacob Caples singled to third and junior Jace Reese reached on a single that fell between two Chap outfielders who lost the ball in the sun. 
 
LCU brought in its third pitcher of the game following a walk to begin the bottom of the seventh in Amarillo native Glen Warrick.  A sacrifice bunt moved junior Mason Shiflett to second.  Cole belted a RBI single to center for a 5-4 score as Cole took second on the throw.  The second free pass of the inning put two on for WT with one out.  A pop out to short followed and a great diving play from third baseman Velarde ended the Buff threat and potentially scoring the tying run.
 
An error put a runner at second for the Buffs in the bottom of the eighth with nobody out.  A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third with one away.  A line out to second followed for two away.  Shiflett singled through the left side tying the game at five on the first pitch he saw. 
 
An error by the Chaps began the bottom of the ninth as Cole reached second on the fourth miscue by LCU in the game.  A ground out moved Cole to third with one away and Day drew an intentional walk for runners at the corners.  LCU intentionally walked senior Aaron Blair to load the bases.  A strikeout followed for the second out.   Senior Justin Hargrove singled home the winning run for a 6-5 score.
 
The Buffs continue at home with a key Lone Star Conference series this weekend at Wilder Park versus Angelo State.  The Rams are one game behind WT in the league standings and the Buffs are two games behind league-leader Texas A&M-Kingsville.  The Buffs and Rams play a three-game set beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday and conclude with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.  The teams split a four-game series in San Angelo earlier in the season.