Box ScoreSeason StatsPORTALES, N.M. – A nine-run fourth inning highlighted a 16-5 victory for No. 18 West Texas A&M at Eastern New Mexico Friday evening. With the win, WT improved to 21-7 on the year and 10-4 in Lone Star Conference play, while ENMU fell to 9-19 and 2-12 in league play. The teams will conclude the four game series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
The Buffs banged out 14 hits in the game for 16 runs and one error, while Eastern New Mexico tallied five runs on six hits with three errors. WT senior pitcher
Brooks Trujillo improved to 5-2 on the year as he went six innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, walked one and fanned eight. James Thomas (0-2) took the loss for ENMU, going 3.1 innings, allowing 11 hits, 11 runs – eight earned, walked two and fanned two.
Junior
John Baiada missed hitting for the cycle by a double as he went 3 for 5 for the game with three runs scored, a home run, a triple and drove in five. Senior
Matt Cole went 3 for 4 with a RBI and four runs scored, while junior
Troy LaBrie was 2 for 3 with one run scored and three RBI. Michael McNicholl led ENMU going 1 for 2 with a run scored and two RBI.
The Buffs opened the scoring in the first inning as senior
Matt Cole reached on an error and senior
Trace Hansen singled to right. A fielder's choice moved Cole to third and then back-to-back RBI singles from senior
Nick Chapman and LaBrie put WT up 2-0.
In the bottom of the second, Isaak Bustamante singled to right and, after strikeout by WT Trujillo, McNicholl hit a two run home run tying the game at two. Following that, Charles Sandberg, Jr., tripled, but Trujillo fanned Chris Padilla leaving the Greyhounds with a man stranded at third.
The tie was short lived, however, as Cole single to the pitcher and a sacrifice bunt moved him to second. Baiada hit a home run, his first in a WT uniform, for a 4-2 lead in the top of the third. The Buffs then exploded for seven more runs in the frame. LaBrie doubled home two runs and Baiada doubled home two more highlighting the rest of the inning.
WT added two more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and a bases loaded walk for a 16-2 score. ENMU plated three runs in the seventh, cutting the deficit to 11, but were unable to get anymore to keep the game going.
