SAN ANGELO, Texas  – Down 7-2 in the bottom of the sixth, the West Texas A&M baseball team never gave up plating the final six runs for a thrilling 8-7 victory in ten innings over Camron Friday afternoon, advancing to its second Lone Star Conference Championship game in the past three years.  Senior Mason Shiflett came up with the game-winning RBI single to center, capping the comeback. 

A two out double by senior Matt Cole gave the Buffs a chance at the walk off with the top of the order at the plate in the bottom of the 10^th.  An intentional walk to senior Trace Hansen followed as Shiflett came to bat.  Down 0-2 in the count, Shiflett laced a single to center plating Cole for the game-winner. 

With the win, the Buffs advance to the Lone Star Conference Championship game Saturday at 1 p.m. against the winner of tonight's elimination game.

The Buffs (35-17) scored eight runs on 13 hits with an uncharacteristic four errors, while Cameron (31-20) scored seven runs on ten hits with one error.  Five of Cameron's seven runs came with two outs.  WT improved to 7-13 all-time in the LSC Championship and it marks the first time in the seven trips the Buffs have won their first two games.

Down to their final strike of the second inning, Cameron's Brandon Wright beat out an infield single with a dive at first base and then Cole Williams hit a two run home run to left for a 2-0 lead on a 0-1 pitch.  It was the seventh home run of the season off WT senior starter Brooks Trujillo. 

WT senior Nick Chapman hit a triple off the left field wall with one out in the bottom of the second for the Buffs' first hit of the game and the first since the sixth inning yesterday in the 5-2 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.   A wild pitch plated Chapman for a 2-1 deficit off Cameron starter Dirk Masters.  A walk to junior John Baiada followed and junior Troy LaBrie doubled down the right field line for runners at second and third with one away.  A sacrifice fly to center plated the tying run as senior Jake Fuller drove in Baiada for the 2-2 tie.

A miscue by the Buffs on a grounder put Nate Hale at second with one out in the top of the third.  From there, a failed pickoff attempt moved Hale to third.  Trujillo came back with his fourth strikeout of the game for the second out.  A balk was called as Hale scored unearned for a 3-2 Cameron lead.  Trujillo fanned his fifth of the game to get out of the inning. 

Cameron added to its lead with another long ball as Bronson Pulgados hit a solo shot to left with one out in the top of the fourth pushing the lead back to two runs at 4-2.  The third error on the Buffs put runners at first and second with two away.  Cameron again made the Buffs pay as Jonathan Reyes, laced a two run double to the right field gap for a 6-2 lead on a 1-2 count. 

The Buffs loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the fourth with a single from Chapman and an infield single from Baiada and a walk.  Senior Matt Cole got ahead 2-0 in the count as the Aggies had a meeting on the mound.  Cole hit a fielder's choice as the Buffs missed out on a huge opportunity to get back in the game, leaving the bags full.

A single and sacrifice bunt put a runner at second for the Aggies in the top of the fifth.  On a 3-2 count with two out, Cameron did more damage as Pulgados hit an infield single to third plating a run and moved to second on the fourth error of the game for the Buffs. 

Junior Justin McAllister replaced Trujillo following the hit and error.  McAllister got a pop up to third to end the inning.  Trujillo finished the game pitching 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits, seven runs – five earned and he fanned six with no walks. 

Chapman drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth for the first leadoff base runner of the game for the Buffs.  Baiada took the next pitch over the left center fence for a two run home run and a 7-4 score.  It was Baiada's second round-tripper of the season. 

A hit batsman, a sacrifice bunt and a ground out moved Hale to third in the top of the seventh with two out.   Senior Trace Hansen made a great diving catch to rob Bower of a potential RBI single for the third out as the Buffs got out of the inning unscathed. 

Hansen, on a 3-2 count, hit a double to left to begin the bottom of the seventh.  Senior Mason Shiflett followed with a single to left.  Masters was relieved by Tyler Abrego who pitched against WT in 2.2 innings on April 17 in Canyon.  He walked two and had a balk in that game as WT won 9-7.  A fielder's choice to third from senior Josh Day plated Hansen for a 7-5 score with one out.  Abrego got a pickoff for the second out, but walked junior Hunter Henderson.  Redshirt freshman Blake Weaver ran for Henderson.  Weaver stole second for his ninth theft of the season in nine chances.  Chapman doubled to left plating Weaver for a 7-6 score.  Cameron went to the bullpen once again as Jackson Tetreault relieved Abrego.  Tetreault then got out of the inning with a ground out to short. 

LaBrie doubled over the third baseman's head for his second two-bagger of the game to begin the bottom of the eighth.  Following a walk to senior Jake Fuller, Tetreault got a strikeout for the first out and, following a meeting at the mound, Hansen roped a single to right, on a 1-2 count, and an error by the right fielder allowed LaBrie to score tying the game at seven.  A fielder's choice got the second out and a ground out ended the inning. 

McAllister retired Cameron in order in the ninth, sending the Buffs to the bottom of the ninth.  WT was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth as the game went into extra-innings.  It was the sixth extra-inning game of the season for WT as the Buffs were 5-0 in the previous games.  WT's last extra-inning game in the LSC Baseball Championship came with a 5-3 win over Angelo State in 10 innings on May 10, 2014, in Kingsville, Texas, sending the Buffs to the championship game that year.

Bower hit a two out single in the top of the 10^th for the Aggies.  It was just the second hit allowed off McAllister in his five innings of work to that point.  Pulgados gave one a ride, but came up short as a long fly out as the Buffs retired the Aggies sending the game to the bottom of the 10^th. 

McAllister (7-2) earned the win in relief going 5.1 innings, allowing just two hits and fanning three as he completely baffled the Aggies to close the game, allowing just three base runners.  Tetreault (4-2) took the loss in three innings of relief, allowing four hits, two earned runs, walked two and fanned three. 

Chapman and Shiflett led the way for WT each with three hit.  Shiflett went 3 for 6 with the game winning RBI, while Chapman went 3 for 4 scoring twice and driving in one.  Baiada was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while LaBrie was 2 for 5 with a run scored. 

Cameron had five players with two hits each as Pulgados was 2 for 5 with two RBI and a run scored, while Williams was 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored.