CANYON, Texas  –  The No. 21 West Texas A&M baseball team split a doubleheader Sunday afternoon with visiting Cameron as the Buffs took the three game series 2-1 and 5-2 for the season series.  With the split, WT moved into a three-way tie for first in the league standings with nine conference games remaining.  The Buffs are 17-9 in league play tied with Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville.  WT is 29-12 overall, while Cameron improved to 24-15 and moved into a fourth-place tie in the standings with Tarleton State 12-14.

#21 West Texas A&M 9, Cameron 7 (Game 1)

Following a 20-minute rain delay prior to the first pitch which saw the teams do a number of funny acts in the rain, including the Lion King, a tanning bed, human bowling, grenades and hunting, the Buffs retired the Aggies as senior Austin Moore threw just 16 pitches in the top of the first.

A leadoff walk to senior Matt Cole and a double to right center from senior Nick Chapman for runners at second and third with nobody out.  Senior Mason Shiflett singled through the right side for two RBI and a 2-0 lead.  Junior Troy LaBrie added to the hit fest with a single through the right side for runners at the corners.  Junior John Baiada singled home Shiflett for a 3-0 lead.  Redshirt freshman Christian Loya singled home LaBrie for a 4-0 lead.  A fielder's choice and lineout garnered the Aggies the first two outs as the Buffs batted through the order. 

The Aggies put the first two on with nobody out in the top of the second courtesy of a walk and a single.  Jordan Fields got the Aggies on the board with a single to left for a 4-1 score.  Russ Colgan singled to load the bases with nobody out.  The second run scored on a wild pitch.  Another walk loaded the bases once again sending WT pitching coach Cory Hall to the mound.  Nate Hale hit into a fielder's choice plating a run for a 4-3 score and the first out of the inning.  A walk loaded the bases once again chasing Moore from the game in the shortest outing of the season.  Junior Justin McAllister relieved Moore on a 3-0 count to Bronson Pulgados.  Pulgados walked scoring the tying run and Cody Bower hit an infield single for a 5-4 Cameron lead.  A 643 double play ended the inning. 

Cameron went to the bullpen in favor of Codey Upton for the bottom of the second.  An error on the shortstop put Chapman on base to begin the bottom of the second.  Following an out, LaBrie was plunked by the Upton offering for two on.  A double play ended the threat.

Junior Roberto Carrasco tied the game with a RBI double to right center in the bottom of the third for a 5-5 score.  Redshirt freshman Blake Weaver singled for runners at the corner with one out.  Weaver stole second and following a strikeout, Chapman grounded out to short ending the game as the Buffs left two stranded in the frame and six for the game. 

Before the top of the fourth began, the rain came once again as the game was stopped for one hour and 22 minutes before play resumed.  McAllister retired the Aggies in order in the top of the fourth. 

In the bottom of the frame, Shiflett began the inning with a double, followed by back-to-back singles as Baiada plated Shiflett for a 6-5 WT lead.  Fuller singled up the middle for a 7-5 lead and Loya hit a sacrifice fly for an 8-5 lead.  An error on a chopper to third scored Fuller for a 9-5.  A hit batsman loaded the bases as the Aggies went to the bullpen.  A double play, the second of the game for Cameron, ended the frame.

In the top of the sixth, Colgan belted a two run home run to right with nobody out pulling Cameron within 9-7.  It was the first round-tripper hit in the series by either team and first of the season for Colgan.  McAllister got a foul out and two strikeouts to end the inning.

WT senior closer Kyle Tinius came in for the seventh inning with the Buffs up 9-7.  Bronson Pulgados singled up the middle to begin the inning.  Tinius got a strikeout for the first out and a ground out to second bringing Cameron to its final out as Tinius got a fly out to left to end the game. 

It was Tinius' 11^th save of the season tying former Buff Paul Lujan for the most saves in a season with 11.  Lujan finished his career with 20 saves in 2014 and 2015.  Tinius went one inning, allowing one hit and fanning one for his second save in as many days.

The Buffs had nine runs on 15 hits, while Cameron had seven runs on eight hits with two errors.  LaBrie went 3 of 3 with two runs scored, while Baiada was 3 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI.  In all, five Buffs had two or more hits.  McAllister (6-2) earned the win in relief of Moore.  McAllister went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, one walk and he fanned three.  Upton took the loss (4-2) in 2.1 innings, allowing eight hits, five runs – four earned and he fanned two.

Cameron 4, #21 West Texas A&M 0 (Game 2)

In the top of the third, the Aggies put two on with one out courtesy of a single, a walk and a sacrifice bunt.  Pulgados hit a chopper to first plating a run for a 1-0 lead and runners at the corners.  A fielder's choice out plated the second run for a 2-0 lead for the Aggies.

Following an out and a caught stealing, WT starter Luke Wiechec got in a jam in the top of the fifth loading the bases with two away.  Junior Colby Price relieved Wiechec and got a pop out to short to end the inning leaving the bags full.

Price walked two with two out in the top of the sixth as the Buffs went to the bullpen once again in favor of junior Thomas Garland.  A walk loaded the bases once again for the Aggies, but a fly out to center ended the inning.

Cameron pitcher Bryan Belote retired the Buffs in order in the sixth for seven-straight at the Buffs haven't had a hit since the second inning and had just two baserunners since the second.

Brandon Wright hit a two run home run to right field for a 4-0 lead in the top of the seventh, followed by a double to left from Fields.  A double from Colgan followed for runners at second and third. An intentional walk loaded the bases for the third straight inning.  A fly out ended the inning as Cameron left 13 stranded to that point.

Loya singled to right center with one out in the bottom of the seventh for the first hit for the Buffs since the second inning ending a string of eight-straight retired by Belote.  Belote came back and got a line out to third to get out of the inning, preserving the shutout.

Belote retired the Buffs in order in the ninth for a complete game four hit shutout as he improved to 4-3 on the year.  He walked one and fanned five.  Wiechec (2-2) took the loss in 4.2 innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, walked five and fanned four.

Pulgados was 2 for 4 with a RBI, while Wright was 1 for 5 with a run scored and the two RBI homerun.  Four different Buffs each had one hit.  It was just the third time WT was shutout all season.

WT returns to the road next week in a key series at Angelo State as the teams split a four game series in Canyon last month.