Box Score

Season Stats

CANYON, Texas – Senior outfielder Mason Shiflett hit two home runs and senior Josh Day added another as the West Texas A&M baseball team downed visiting New Mexico Highlands 11-1 in the opener of a four game series Friday evening at Wilder Park.  With the win, WT improved to 6-2 on the year, while NMHU fell to 1-6. 
 
Shiflett went 2 for 4 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Day was 2 for 5 with three RBI and one run scored.  Senior Matt Cole was 3 for 4 with a RBI and a run scored as WT belted 12 hits in the game with one error.  NMHU tallied was held to one hit for eight innings as senior Austin Moore (1-1) had a strong outing for the Buffs in 6.1 innings, allowing one hit, one earned run, with four walks and he fanned 11.  WT fanned 16 in the game as a team.
 
An error and a single up the middle put two on for the Cowboys in the top of the third with two away.  Moore, came back with his fifth strikeout of the game to get out of the jam.
 
WT used an error on a sacrifice bunt for runners at the corners for the Buffs in the bottom of the third following a leadoff walk from senior Mason Shiflett.  Number nine hitter, junior John Baiada, laid down a perfect bunt and reached on the miscue moving Shiflett to third.  NMHU freshman pitcher Joel Lamont tallied his third strikeout for the first out.  Senior Matt Cole hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 WT lead as Shiflett scored.  Day belted a RBI double to left field for a 2-0 lead.
 
An infield single and walk put two on with nobody out in the bottom of the fourth for the Buffs.  Shiflett belted a three run home run to left for a 5-0 lead.  It was Shiflett's second round-tripper of his WT career with one last season. 
 
Day belted a two run home run in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-0 lead as the Cowboys made a move to the bullpen in favor of Corey Nelson.  Lamont went four innings, allowing six hits, seven runs – five earned, walked two and fanned five in 79 pitches.  The two home runs was the first game WT has had this season with multiple home runs and the seventh and eighth overall on the year.
 
Shiflett began the bottom of the sixth with his second home run of the game for an 8-0 lead as NMHU went to the bullpen once again as Joshua Baca relieved Nelson. 
 
Moore hit 100 pitches in the top of the seventh with 11 strikeouts as the Cowboys put two on with one out on a pair of walks.  It was just second inning (third inning) of the Cowboys having two on base.  The third walk of the inning loaded the bases for the Cowboys as WT made a move to the bullpen in favor of junior Thomas Garland.  Michael Sielinksi grounded out to first for a RBI and the first run of the game for the Cowboys.    Moore finished the game with 108 pitches.  Garland and sophomore Luke Downs pitched the final 2.2 innings.
 
Redshirt freshman pinch-hitter Christian Loya opened the bottom of the seventh with a double off the wall in left.  A wild pitch moved him to third. Senior Trace Hansen grounded out to short plating the ninth run of the game for a 9-1 lead.
 
WT added two runs in the bottom of the eighth for an 11-0 lead and NMHU tallied a run in the ninth for the final margin 11-1.
 
Lamont (0-2) took the loss for the Cowboys. 
 
The Buffs and Cowboys continue the series Saturday at 4 p.m. at Wilder Park with a doubleheader, followed by a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.