COMMERCE, Texas – The top ranked Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M used a seventh inning comeback and a pair of nightcap homeruns to take the Lone Star Conference weekend series from the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions at the John Cain Family Softball Field in Commerce as WT head coach Kevin Blaskowski reached the 750 career win plateau. The Lady Buffs improve to 33-1 (15-1 LSC) while the Lions fall to 23-9 (9-7 LSC) on the year.
 
Coach B reaches the 750 career win plateau as he is now 751-508 (.596) in his 24-year career including a 399-231 (.633) in his 11-year stint at West Texas A&M after being hired to restart the program in December of 2004. Blaskowski becomes the 30^th coach in Division II history to reach the milestone and he is one of 14 active DII coaches with atleast 750 wins.
 
The Lady Buffs return to the friendly confines of Schaeffer Park next weekend as they host the Cameron Aggies in a four-game Lone Star Conference series starting on Friday night at 5 p.m. The Aggies are currently 24-9 with a 9-3 mark in LSC play following a sweep of Eastern New Mexico in Lawton.
 
GAME #1
The Lions took an early lead in the home half of the first inning as Kylene Hatton led off the frame with a double to right center followed by a pair of groundouts to score the run at 1-0. Commerce would add to their lead in the second as a pair of WT errors led to two more runs to stretch the lead to 3-0.
 
WT cut into the lead in the top of the fourth inning as Andrea Sitter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs to score Lacey Taylor from third but a strikeout ended the inning with the Lions leading 3-1. The Lady Buffs tied the game in the top of the fifth inning as Stacey Ramirez scored on a passed ball followed by an Ashley Hardin RBI single to right center with two outs to tie the game at 3-3.
 
The Lions looked to retake the lead in the home half of the fifth as they put runners on second and third with one out to knock Kilee Halbert from the game, Commerce took the lead with a squeeze bunt down the third base line followed by an infield single and an RBI groundout to run the score to 6-3. WT responded in the sixth as Kourtney Covenry grounded out with the bases loaded followed by an illegal pitch to score another run to cut the lead to 6-5.
 
The Lady Buffs wouldn't go down without a fight as Taylor led off the seventh with a walk followed by an Ashley Hardin shot to the wall in left center that would have given WT the lead if where wasn't a 25 mph gust blowing in, Alyssa Montoya tagged up and moved to second followed by an intentional walk of Allie Smith to put runners on first and second with one out. Shayne Starkey laced a double to the right center field gap to tie the game followed by a Commerce fielding error as Tiffanie Bolanos scored from third, WT wasn't done yet as Brittany Cruz flew out to left to score Starkey to give WT the 8-6 lead.
 
That's all the lead that Tori Bayer would need as the senior forced a ground ball back to the circle before a double to right field by Ciera Nunez, Bayer snagged a line drive back to the circle for the second out followed by a hit by pitch before a strikeout ended the game at 8-6. Bayer picked up the win (9-0) for the Lady Buffs, giving up one run on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts in her 2.2 innings of relief.
 
GAME #2
WT started off the scoring early in the finale as Taylor singled thru the left side to score Ramirez from second base followed by a Hardin double down the left field line to give the Lady Buffs a 2-0. The Lions responded in the home half of the frame as Cherie Jackson doubled to right center followed by a two-run bomb to right field by Johnna Sturm to give Commerce the 3-2 lead and knock Alexis Alfonso from the game, the Lions weren't done yet as they singled home another run with two outs to give TAMUC the 4-2 lead after one inning of play.
 
The Lady Buffs responded in the top of the second inning as Brittany Gehle and Ibrahim hit back-to-back doubles to the right center field gap to tie the game at 4-4 and knock the TAMUC starter from the game with one out, Taylor was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second before Hardin crushed a ball into the wind for a three-run bomb to left field for the 7-4 lead. The Lady Buffs weren't done yet as Smith smashed a ball to straight away center field for back-to-back dingers to give WT the 8-4 lead.
 
WT wasn't done yet as they took advantage of a Commerce misplayed ball in the outfield as Ramirez raced around from first base to score to run the Lady Buff lead to 9-4, the Lady Buffs added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as Starkey grounded out to score Hardin from third and run the WT lead to 10-4. The Lady Buff defense kept the Lions off of the board in the home half of the fifth as Gehle snagged a line drive and flipped to Starkey at first for the inning-ending double play at 10-4.
 
Emilee Baker started off the seventh inning with a single thru the left side followed by a Kylee Moore double to right before an illegal pitch to score Baker from third, Commerce responded with a strikeout and a flyout to left before forcing a popup in the infield to end the inning with WT leading 11-4. That would be more than enough for Bayer as the senior picked up the win (10-0), giving up no runs on seven hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of relief.