Box Score

Season Stats

CANYON, Texas – The 19^th game this season decided by one run for the West Texas A&M baseball team came in walk-off fashion Friday night as the Buffs opened a key Lone Star Conference series against Angelo State with a 2-1 victory in 11 innings.  With the win, WT improved to 27-14 overall and 17-10 in LSC play, while ASU fell to 27-13 and 15-12 in league play. 
 
The Buffs improved to 10-9 in one run games this season and 2-4 in extra-inning contests and gained a game league-leading Texas A&M-Kingsville who dropped a 19-9 decision at Eastern New Mexico.  WT now leads Angelo State by two games in the league standings heading into tomorrow's doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Wilder Park.
 
WT had nine hits in the contest with no errors, while ASU had six hits and five errors.  WT was led by two hits from junior Trace Hansen as he scored one run, while senior Justin Hargrove also had two hits.  Senior Max Brennen came into score the winning run in the 11^th. 
 
It marked the second walk-off win of the week for the Buffs as WT downed Lubbock Christian 6-5 on Tuesday with a RBI single from senior Hargrove on his birthday in the bottom of the ninth.  ASU was led by J.C. Snyder who went 1 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI on a solo home run in the sixth.
 
In a battle of two of the top pitchers in the LSC, ASU's Steve Naemark, who entered with a 7-1 record and a 0.64 ERA, went eight innings, allowing seven hits, one earned run, with three walks and six strikeouts.  Conversely, WT senior starter Tyler Gibson went six innings, allowing five hits, one earned run, three walks and he fanned four.  Both didn't factor into the decision.  WT junior Kyle Tinius pitched five innings of relief allowing one hit, walking one and fanning four as he earned the win (5-1).
 
ASU closer Graylon Brown (2-2) took the loss in 2.1 innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run and he fanned one.
 
With two out in the top of the first, Paxton DeLaGarza doubled to center and a passed ball moved him to third.  A walk followed for runners at the corners, but Gibson and the Buffs got out of the jam with a foul out behind the plate leaving two Rams stranded. 
 
In the bottom of the first, March reached on an error to begin the inning, but the Buffs hit into a double play for the first two outs.  Junior Trace Hansen doubled down the right field line with two away.  Junior Josh Day hit a ground-rule double to right plating Hansen for a 1-0 lead.
 
Angelo State put two on with nobody out in the top of the fifth.  A walk to David Goggin loaded the bases for the Rams.  The Buffs got their second double play of the game for two out with runners at second and third.  A walk loaded the bases once again for the Rams.  Sam Kohler struck out swinging on a 3-2 count to end the threat as ASU left the bags full, while WT senior pitcher Tyler Gibson recorded his fourth strikeout of the game.
 
Snyder belted a solo home run with two out in the top of the sixth tying the game at one.  Brett David laced a double to right.  A ground out to third got the Buffs out of the inning.  Gibson went six innings, allowing five hits, one earned run with three walks and four strikeouts as he didn't factor into the decision.
 
The Buffs put runners at the corners with two down in the seventh. A walk to junior Matt Cole loaded the bases.  A bang-bang play went against the Buffs as junior Trace Hansen hit a ball to third and was called out at first as the Buffs left the bags full.
 
Neither team scored in the final two innings as the game went to the 10^th tied at one.  It marked the sixth game in extra-innings for the Buffs this season.  In the top of the 10^th with two down, Cole made a great throw to second from center field as Sam Kohler tried to extend his single but was gunned down at second inning the inning.
 
WT put runners at the corners with two away in the bottom of the 10^th on a nice single to right by junior pinch-hitter Aaron De La Paz.  Brown got a big strikeout swinging to end the inning leaving the 10^th and 11^th batters stranded for the Buffs.
 
In the top of the 11^th, Day robbed Snyder of a potential double with a great leaping catch at the left field wall for the third out.
 
Hargrove earned a free pass on a hit batsman to begin the bottom of the 11^th.  An error on a sacrifice bunt put runners at first and second with nobody out for the Buffs.  March reached on a fielder's choice as Brennen scored from third for the game winner.