Box ScoreSeason StatsCANYON, Texas – A grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs by senior
Jace Reese, sparked the West Texas A&M baseball team to a 4-3, come-from-behind victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State Sunday afternoon. With the win, WT improved to 3-0 on the season, while SWOSU fell to 1-2.
SWOSU pitcher Devin Ring pitched a gem of a game as he held the Buffs without a hit until the seventh inning. In the stretch frame, on a seven pitch at bat and a 3-2 count, senior
Matt Cole singled to left in the bottom of the seventh breaking up Ring's no-hit bid. Following a mound visit by the Bulldogs, SWOSU got a fielder's choice for the second out.
A wild pitch moved Cole to second and a walk put two on. WT went to the bench in favor of senior
Aaron De La Paz to pinch-hit. On a 2-1 count, SWOSU made a move to the bullpen in favor of Dillon Freie replacing King. WT also made a change in favor of senior
Nick Chapman mid-at bat. Chapman drew the walk to load the bases. SWOSU went to the bullpen again for Blake Gooden. Reese then took a 0-1 count deep to left field into a stiff win for a grand slam and a 4-2 WT lead.
Following a single and a hits batsman in the top of the eighth with one out, WT went to the bullpen once again for junior
Justin McAllister who replaced junior
Thomas Garland. McAllister got a fly out to right as SWOSU had runners at the corners with two away. Barton came up with a 1-2 hit through the right side for a 4-3 deficit. McAllister got a strikeout to end the threat with WT leading midway through eight innings.
WT held a 4-3 lead heading into the top of the ninth. McAllister got a pair of comebackers for the first two outs. A ground out to second ended the game as WT improved to 3-0 after trailing in each of the games this weekend.
For the game, WT junior
Eliot King earned the win (1-0), going 6.2 innings in relief of senior transfer starter
Nolan Savage. King allowed three hits, walked one and fanned three. Savage went 0.1 innings, allowing one hit, two unearned runs and two walks. McAllister earned the save in relief going 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and he fanned one.
The Buffs head to Lubbock Christian for a single game Tuesday at 4 p.m., followed by a trip to Alva, Okla., where WT will face Northeastern State (Okla.) and Northwestern Oklahoma State next weekend.
Ring (0-1) dominated the Buffs going 6.2 innings, allowing one hit, three earned runs, while walking two and fanning three. He faced 23 batters and threw just 86 pitches. The Bulldogs had six hits in the game as Zach Barton went 3 for 4 with two RBI. Blake Gooden gave up the grand slam pitching 0.1 innings, allowing one hit, one earned run in two batters faced.
WT improved to 17-23 all-time against Southwestern Oklahoma State and has won the last seven in the series. The five meetings in the series have been decided by one run.
