SAN ANGELO, Texas  – For the third consecutive season, the West Texas A&M baseball team defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville in the Lone Star Conference baseball championship as the third-seeded Buffs posted five runs in the middle three innings for a 5-2 win.  WT improved to 34-17 on the year and the Javelinas fell to 34-16. 

The Buffs will now await the winner of top-seeded and host Angelo State against No. 4-seed Cameron for a second round game Friday at 12 p.m. at Foster Field at First Community Credit Union Stadium.  The Buffs improved to 4-1 all-time in the LSC Championship against TAMUK and 6-13 all-time in the tournament in seven trips.  It also marked the first time since 2013 WT opened the championship with a win as the Buffs downed Angelo State (12-0) in the first game that season, hosted by WT in the Lone Star Conference Spring Festival.

WT put runners on in each of the first two innings, but were unable to bring anyone home Thursday against TAMUK.  The Javelinas had runner on, too, but good pitching from WT senior Austin Moore got the Buffs out of the jams as he had four early K's. 

A strikeout wild pitch and an infield single put two on for the Buffs in the top of the third with two away.  A pickoff at first on a pitchout got the Javelinas out of the jam as WT had some early base running mistakes with a pickoff earlier in the game between second and third.

Senior Nick Chapman belted a one out double to center in the top of the fourth.  A wild pitch, the second of the game by TAMUK pitcher Preston Plovanich, moved Chapman to third.  Junior John Baiada drew a walk for runners at the corners.  A sacrifice bunt from junior Troy LaBrie plated Chapman for a 1-0 WT lead. 

A 3-2 single up the middle kept the inning alive for the Javelinas in the bottom of the fourth, but on a wild pitch, Baiada gunned down his second runner of the game at second for the third out as the Buffs got out of the jam. 

Senior Trace Hansen hit a one out single in the top of the fifth, followed by a fielder's choice by senior Mason Shiflett and he stole second.  An error on the Javelinas put runners at the corners, followed by a two run RBI double from junior Hunter Henderson for a 3-0 lead.

Two errors by the Javelinas, in the top of the sixth, put runners at the corners for the Buffs with one away.  The second squeeze play for the Buffs paid off as senior Matt Cole put down a great bunt plating LaBrie for a 4-0 lead.    From there, Hansen hit a RBI single through right side for a 5-0 lead. 

Plovanich was replaced prior to the top of the seventh by Trey Taylor as Plovanich went six innings, allowing nine hits, five runs – three earned, walked one and fanned three Buffs.  In the seventh, Taylor sat the Buffs down in order for the first time in the game.

A hit batsman began the bottom of the seventh for the Javelinas putting Christian Caudle at first.  Moore fanned Pablo Hernandez for his ninth strikeout of the game.  Pinch-hitter Miles Holcomb drew the second walk of the inning.  Following a meeting at the mound by the Buffs, Moore, who had thrown 114 pitches to that point, Wesley Aguilar flew out to center for the second out.  Dalton Perry, on a 3-2 count, walked to load the bases. 

WT made a move to the bullpen as junior Justin McAllister relieved Moore looking to get out of the jam.  Hayden Vesely hit a two run double to right on the first McAllister offering for a 5-2 score.  McAllister got a ground out to third to end the inning.

Moore went 6.2 innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, walked four and fanned nine as he allowed just one extra-base hit in his outing of 123 pitches.

Taylor retired the final nine Buffs in order sending TAMUK to its final at bat trailing 5-2.  Senior Kyle Tinius replaced McAllister before the bottom of the ninth looking for his 14^th save of the season. 

Tinius induced a 5-3 ground out on a 3-1 pitch for the first out.  A ground to short followed for the second out and a fly out to center ended the game as Tinius, who entered ranked third in the nation in saves, tallied his 14^th of the season.   

Moore, a first team all-conference selection, earned his ninth win of the season which leads the conference (9-3).  Plovanich, who was named LSC Newcomer of the Year last night as the annual awards banquet, fell to 7-2.  The Buffs banged out five runs on nine hits, while TAMUK had two runs on six hits with three errors leading to two unearned runs.

The Buffs were led by Hansen who was 3 for 5 with a RBI, while senior Josh Day was 2 for 5 with a run scored and Chapman was 2 for 4 with a run scored.  Henderson went 1 for 4 with two big RBI. 

Vesely paced TAMUK going 2 for 2 with two RBI, while Caudle was 3 for 3.  TAMUK will play the loser of the Angelo State vs. Cameron game in an elimination game Friday at 3 p.m.