CANYON, Texas  –  Four runs over the final three innings propelled the #21 West Texas A&M baseball to team to a 7-6 victory over visiting Cameron in the first of a three game series Saturday at Wilder Park.  With the win, WT improved to 28-11 overall and 16-8 in Lone Star Conference play, while Cameron fell to 23-14 and 11-13 in league play.

Following a 45-minute lightning delay minutes before the game was supposed to start at 12 p.m., Nate Hale began the game with a single to center and scored on a double to left from Bronson Pulgados for a 1-0 Cameron lead.  In the bottom of the first, the Buffs put two on with a pair of walks off Cameron starter Dirk Masters with one out.  A called strike three low in the zone got the second out for Masters and a fielder's choice ended the threat as WT left two stranded.

WT put two on with one out in the bottom of the second courtesy of a single from junior John Baiada and a hit batsman.  Masters got two big strikeouts leaving two more stranded for the Buffs.  WT senior starter Brooks Trujillo sat the Aggies down in order for the second-straight inning in the top of the third.

Senior Nick Chapman began the bottom of the third with a double to center for the fifth WT baserunner of the game.  Senior Mason Shiflett hit a single to deep short for runners at the corners with nobody out.  Junior Troy LaBrie tied the game with a RBI ground out to short for a 1-1 score.  A passed ball moved Shiflett to third and senior Jake Fuller laced a single to right for a 2-1 WT lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Aggies put runners at the corners with nobody out on double from Pulgados and a single through the left side.  A walk loaded the bases for the Aggies.  Cameron tied the game with a RBI double play for a 2-2 score.  Russ Colgan gave the lead back to the Aggies with a single to right and a 3-2 score.

Redshirt freshman Christian Loya hit a ground-rule double to right to begin the bottom of the fourth and moved to third on a great sacrifice bunt from junior Roberto Carrasco.  Following a hit batsman, Cole tied the game at three with a sacrifice fly to center.

With two out in the top of the fifth, Cody Bower laced a two run double to right center for a 5-3 Cameron lead.   A throwing error on the Buffs put runners at the corners following the double.  A fly out to left ended the threat. 

Cameron added to its lead with three singles and a fielder's choice in the top of the sixth for a 6-3 lead with one out.  The hit chased Trujillo from the game in favor of junior Thomas Garland.  Following the change, the Buffs got a caught stealing for the second out and a ground out to third for the final out. 

Cole hit a two out triple for his team-leading fifth three-bagger of the year in the bottom of the sixth.  A walk put runners at the corners for Shiflett, but grounded out to short to end the threat leaving nine stranded to that point.

A walk and a single and an error put two on for the Buffs in the bottom of the seventh off Cameron reliever John Millan.  Baiada laced a two RBI single for a 6-5 deficit.  Carrasco hit a double off the center field wall for runners at second and third with one away.  Logan Fanning replaced Millan following the double.  A strikeout and a ground out for Fanning got the Aggies out of the jam as WT stranded 11 batters in the game. 

A walk and a single with two out prolonged the top of the eighth for the Aggies.  In both at bats, with two away, WT junior reliever Justin McAllister had Cameron on its final strike.  McAllister fanned Tyler McKinzie for the third out.

A leadoff single through the right side and a sacrifice bunt put the Buffs in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth with one out.  LaBrie tied the game with a single through the right side and advanced to second on an error.  A passed ball moved LaBrie to third.  On a 3-2 count, Baiada put the Buffs up for the first time since the third inning with a RBI single up the middle for a 7-6 lead.

Pulgados singled to right off WT senior closer Kyle Tinius to begin the top of the ninth.  A ground out to Tinius for the first out advancing Pulgados to second and a ground out to first got the second out advancing Pulgados to third.  A ground out to short ended the game and the win for the Buffs.

Tinius earned his league-leading 10^th save of the season as he moved into second all-time in saves in a season by himself as he entered the game tied with Paul Lujan who had nine saves in 2014. 

The Buffs tallied seven runs on 13 hits with one error as Baiada was 3 for 5 with three RBI to lead the Buffs.  Chapman was 3 for 4 with two runs scored, while Fuller was 2 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI.  Trujillo went 5.1 innings, allowing 10 hits, six earned runs, walked two and fanned two.  Garland and McAllister combined for 2.2 innings, allowing three hits, one walk and two strikeouts.  WT left 12 stranded in the game.  McAllister improved to 5-2 with the win in relief.

Cameron had six runs on 14 hits with three errors as Pulgados was 4 for 4 with two runs scored and a RBI.  Hale was 3 for 5 with a run scored and a RBI.  Masters went 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs – two earned, three walks and he fanned six.  Fanning earned the loss (4-1) in 1.2 innings, allowing three hits, two unearned runs and he fanned one.

The teams are scheduled for a doubleheader to conclude the regular season series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Wilder Park.  WT earned the season series win with the victory as the Buffs are 4-1 this season against Cameron with the two games to play tomorrow.