Box Score

Season Stats

PLAINVIEW, Texas – West Texas A&M senior closer Paul Lujan pitched the final 1.2 innings for his 10^th save of the season breaking his own school-record for saves in a season as WT held off Wayland Baptist Tuesday afternoon 6-5.  With the win, WT improved to 29-15 on the year and WBU fell to 30-20.
 
Lujan tallied nine saves last year breaking the previous school-record and now has 19 for his career which also is a school-record.  He got out of a two on, one out jam in the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout for the save.  Lujan leads the LSC in saves and is eighth nationally entering the week.
 
For the game, WT had six runs on seven hits and two errors, while WBU tallied five runs on 10 hits with three miscues.  The Buffs belted two home runs in the game.  Junior Josh Day went 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI including a home run, while senior Dylan Dyson went 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Junior Aaron De La Paz went 1 for 2 with a run scored and two RBI including a home run.  Gaby De La Cruz went 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs score to pace the Pioneers.  Ethan Percell also had three hits. 
 
On the mound, junior Luke Wiechec began the game for the Buffs going 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs with two walks and three strikeouts.  Junior Eliot King (2-0) picked up the win in relief going two innings allowing three hits.
 
WT broke open a scoreless game in the second inning as junior Jace Reese and Dyson each walked to begin the frame.  A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and Reese scored on a passed ball.  Junior Aaron De La Paz hit his first home run as a Buff for a 3-0 lead.
 
WBU began the bottom of the fourth with a double down the left field line from Aaron Vallance.  He then scored on a single up the middle from De La Cruz for a 3-1 score.  Chris Buitron singled home De La Cruz for a 3-2 score.
 
The Pioneers tied the game in the fifth following a pitching change from the Buffs as junior Eliot King replaced Wiechec.  De La Cruz singled though the left side for his second RBI of the game for a 3-3 score.
 
WT regained the lead in the top of the seventh as junior Scott Cooper began the inning with a walk.  WBU went to the bullpen and Cooper then stole second and scored on a throwing error by the catcher for a 4-3 lead.  Junior Josh Day belted his fourth home run of the season for a 5-3 lead.  The Buffs extended the lead to 6-3 in the eighth on a RBI single from senior Aaron Blair.
 
WBU would not go away quietly, however, as De La Cruz singled to begin the inning and an error put two on.  A single from Percell and the second error of the inning plated De La Cruz for a 6-4 score.  A RBI single made it -5 with one out as WT turned to senior closer Paul Lujan to work out of the jam.
 
Lujan got a double play from a line out and Josh Vera couldn't get back to the bag at second to end the threat. 
 
After a three-up-three-down ninth for the Buffs, Lujan returned the favor in the bottom of the frame for the 6-5 win.  It was the 21^st game decided by one run his season as WT improved to 12-9 in one run games.
 
The Buffs return to LSC play this weekend at Tarleton State with a single game Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday.  WT is two games ahead of Angelo State for second in the league standings with six conference games remaining.  The Buffs are two games back of league-leader Texas A&M-Kingsville.