Box Score
Season Stats
CANYON, Texas – In a game that lasted 4:27 minutes and went into the 15th inning, West Texas A&M senior Nick Chapman singled up the middle with the bases loaded lifting the Buffs to a 7-6 win over Lubbock Christian Tuesday evening at Wilder Park. With the win, the Buffs improved to 27-11 on the year, while LCU fell to 25-11. The Buffs avenged an early season loss to the Chaps with the win.
The game saw a combined 13 pitchers between the two teams as junior Tommy Garland (2-0) earned the win for the Buffs pitching the final 2.1 innings, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out one. Collin Fraley (1-1) earned the loss in the final 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, walked three and fanned two.
The eight at bats by Chapman tied the school record for at bats in a game set by Josh Banks at Eastern New Mexico on Feb. 16, 2004. Chapman was 3 of 8 with two RBI in the game, while redshirt freshman Christian Loya was 3 of 5 with a run scored and a RBI. Senior Jake Fuller was 2 of 6 with a run scored, while redshirt freshman Blake Weaver was 2 of 6 with a RBI.
LCU was led by Tony Reyes who was 3 of 7 with two runs scored and a RBI, while four other Chaps had two hits each.
Pitching dominated the first 3 ½ innings on both sides as senior Nolan Savage and LCU's Russell Reber dominated the offense as WT turned a key 643 double player in the top of the fourth and LCU made a nice play at home to keep the Buffs off the board in the second on a bunt attempt as WT put two on in the inning courtesy of hits through the right side.
An error on LCU put junior Troy LaBrie at first with one out in the bottom of the fourth. A ground out to first moved LaBrie to second. On a 2-2 count with two out, redshirt freshman Christian Loya put a RBI single into right field plating LaBrie for a 1-0 lead. Junior Roberto Carrasco was plunked by the Reber offering for two on. Reber got out of the jam as redshirt freshman Blake Weaver almost beat out a great bunt for the third out of the frame.
LCU began the top of the fifth with a leadoff single through the right side by Tony Reyes. Then Brent Stewart put one through the left side for two on. Brent Wilhelm put the runners at second and third with a sacrifice bunt. A RBI sacrifice fly from Jesse Pintado tied the game at one.
The Chaps made a move to the bullpen for the bottom of the fifth as Glen Warrick replaced Reber. Reber went four innings, allowing three hits, one unearned run, no walks and four strikeouts in 49 pitches.
Two hits with one out by LCU in the top of the sixth as the WT bullpen began to get warm. A sacrifice fly from Chase Simmons gave LCU a 2-1 lead as the runners advanced to scoring position on a passed ball. Reyes hit a RBI single to center for a 3-1 lead as WT went to the bullpen in favor of senior Brooks Trujillo. Stewart walked for two on with two out. Wilhelm singled home the third run of the inning for a 4-1 lead to left field. Trujillo got a strikeout to end the frame. Savage finished his second start of the season going 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, four earned runs, walked one and fanned three.
LaBrie drew a walk to begin the bottom of the sixth as the Buffs looked to mount the comeback. A walk to junior Jake Fuller put two on for Loya who drew the third-straight walk in the inning. LCU made a move to the bullpen as Albert Aveytia relieved Warrick and junior Hunter Henderson pinch-hit for Carrasco. Henderson hit a RBI single to right center for a 4-2 deficit. Weaver hit RBI single through the left side for a 4-3 margin. Senior Matt Cole tied the game on a fielder's choice, but a double play happened for two away. Cole stole second and, on a 2-2 count, Chapman tripled to left center as WT regained the lead 5-4.
Junior Joshua Payne relieved Trujillo in the seventh as Brandon Urquizo doubled to right to begin the frame and Jaime Bustamante singled to short for runners at the corners with nobody out. Urquizo scored on a throwing error as Bustamante stole second to tie the game at five. Junior Colby Price relieved Payne following the equalizing score. Price fanned Hunter McFall for the second out and a pop out to second got the Buffs out of the jam.
With one out in the top of the eighth, Stewart put a double to left off the wall. A ground out moved Stewart to third for the second out and Price got a comebacker for the third out leaving LCU stranded at third.
A two out hit from Brandon Rix brought up McFall as Rix advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. McFall, on a 2-2 count, ground out to third for the final out of the inning and the seventh Chap stranded in the game.
LCU weekend starter Guillaume Blanchette, pitching in his third inning, retired the Buffs in order in the ninth sending the game to extra-innings.
Price, pitching in his third inning, sat the Chaps down in order in the top of the 10th. He pitched 3.2 innings to that point, allowing two hits, no runs and fanning two.
The Chaps put in Ricky Contreras for the bottom of the 10th and he retired the side in order as LCU had not allowed a hit since the sixth inning. Price came out for the 11th for the bottom third of the order.
Wilhelm led off the top of the 11th with a single through the left side as WT went to the bullpen for senior closer Kyle Tinius. Pintado hit a sacrifice bunt moving Wilhelm into scoring position. A pop out to second followed, bringing the Chaps back to the top of the order. A line out to center ended the threat for the Chaps.
Loya began the bottom of the 11th with a single to right, but right fielder Urquizo gunned Loya down at second with a laser throw. Contreras made a diving catch on a comebacker for the second out as the ball looked like it would have gone up the middle for a hit. A two out single from Weaver got the Buffs back to the top of the order for Cole. Cole hit a laser to right, but right at Urquizo for the third out sending the game to the 12th.
The Buffs last played a game of 12 innings or more in a 7-6 win on March 16, 2014 over No. 10 Angelo State. In the 12th, McFall drew a one out walk, but Tinius came back with a strikeout for the second out. A two out single to right put runners at the corners for Stewart following the base knock by Reyes. Tinius fanned Stewart to end the inning.
A one out walk for the Chaps in the 13th brought in pinch-hitter Brenden McCarthy who flied out to right for the second out. On a 0-2 count for WT senior pitcher Luke Wiechec, Bustamante beat a throw for an infield single for two on. On the 3-2 pitch, Rix drew a walk to load the bases. Wiechec fell behind 3-1 to McFall as WT went to the bullpen to try and get out of the jam with potentially one pitch. Garland relieved Wiechec for the seventh Buff pitcher of the game. Garland's first offering was a called strike and the second was ball four to walk in the go ahead run.
Down to their final at bat, LaBrie doubled to begin the bottom of the 13th to right center. Fuller hit a great bunt single and a throwing error scored the tying run. Following a strikeout, a wild pitch moved Loya to second. A strikeout ended the threat sending the game to the 14th.
Garland and the Buffs retired the Chaps in order in the top of the 14th sending the top of the order to the plate in the bottom half. The top four batters in the lineup for the Buffs were 1 of 22 to that point in the game. Cole struck out to begin the inning. Chapman, who had the lone hit earlier in the game among the top four batters, came up with a single through the right side putting the winning run on base. A wild pitch moved Chapman to second. Senior Mason Shiflett walked for two on for the Buffs with one away. LCU pitcher Collin Fraley, who began the inning, got a strikeout for the second out bringing up LaBrie who doubled and scored the tying run in the previous inning. LaBrie flied out to right to end the inning.
McCarthy hit a one out double down the left field line in the top of the 15th for the Chaps, but a 36 lineout double play ended the inning.
Junior Chad Brown drew a two out walk in the bottom of the 15th as Fraley threw seven-straight balls before a strike on 3-0 to Weaver. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Cole was hit with a pitch loading the bases. Chapman hit the winning RBI single for a 7-6 win.
The game came within 1/3 of an inning for tying for the longest game in school history in terms of innings. WT won 2-1 at Tarleton State on Mar. 22, 2014, in 15 innings complete innings. Four games this season in NCAA Division II have gone 16 innings. Tuesday's game marked the fifth extra-inning game for the Buffs this season (5-0).
The Buffs continue at home this weekend as they are slated to host Cameron at Wilder Park in a three game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.
