CANYON, Texas  – The West Texas A&M baseball team battled back from a 9-6 loss in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday for a 12-1 win earning a split with No. 18 Texas A&M-Kingsville at Wilder Park in the regular season finale.  With the split, WT finished the regular season 33-17 and 21-14 in Lone Star Conference play, while TAMUK was 34-15 and 24-11 in league play. 

WT will now be the No. 3-seed in the upcoming Lone Star Conference Championship, scheduled for May 12-14 at Angelo State as the Rams swept Tarleton State this weekend.  With the WT win, TAMUK will be the No. 2-seed as ASU won the outright regular season championship and hosting duties.  The Buffs and Javelinas will play once again in the first round of the LSC Championship on Thursday at a time to be determined.  Check back with www.gobuffsgo.com for further updates. 

In a doubleheader with the wind blowing straight out, the teams combined for six home runs on the day – three by each team.  WT hit .421 for the twin bill and was led by seniors Jake Fuller and Josh Day who each collected four hits.  Junior Hunter Henderson had two huge home runs – the first two of his career in the nightcap as he was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and five RBI.  The Buffs outhit TAMUK 24-17 and tallied 14 extra-base hits in the doubleheader. 

Prior to the game, the Buffs honored 13 seniors playing in their final regular season games at Wilder Park.  The 2016 Senior Class includes; Nick Chapman, Matt Cole, Josh Day, Aaron De La Paz, Jake Fuller, Trace Hansen, Austin Moore, Jace Reese, Nolan Savage, Mason Shiflett, Kyle Tinius, Brooks Trujillo and Luke Wiechec.

#18 Texas A&M-Kingsville 9, West Texas A&M 6 (Game 1)

In the top of the second, Jimmy Roche took the 1-1 count to right field for a two run home run and his second round-tripper of the series.  From there, Pablo Hernandez hit a solo shot to left for back-to-back home runs, on a 3-2 count, and a 3-0 lead.  Brayton Carlson also went yard for the third home run of the inning and a 5-0 lead all with nobody out. 

Day began the bottom of the second with a double to right.  Following a sacrifice bunt, De La Paz hit a sacrifice fly to left plating Day for a 5-1 score. 

In the fourth, TAMUK added a run on a sacrifice bunt for a 6-1 lead.  In the bottom of the frame, the Buffs' bats came to life as senior Trace Hansen hit a one out single, followed by a hit batsman and a fielder's choice for two on with two out.  A walk to De La Paz loaded the bases and junior pinch-hitter Hunter Henderson was plunked by the Hayden Vesely offering for a 6-2 score.  From there, Fuller singled up the middle plating two runs for a 6-4 score as Vesely was chased from the game.  Senior Matt Cole drew a walk to load the bases once again off reliever Lance Elling.  Elling got out of the jam with a strikeout. 

WT loaded the bases once again in the bottom of the fifth with two away, but Elling came back with a big strikeout once again as the Buffs left the bags full again.

TAMUK plated three runs in the top of the sixth with two RBI doubles and a single for a 9-4 lead.   WT had 2-4 up in the bottom of the seventh looking for the rally.  With one out, Hansen drew a walk, followed by a single and two RBI double from junior John Baiada for a 9-6 score.

Elling (4-1) earned the win, while senior Brooks Trujillo took the loss (7-5) as he went four innings, allowing eight hits, six earned runs, walked one and fanned six.  WT was led by Day who went 3 of 3 in the opener with two runs scored.

West Texas A&M 12, #18 Texas A&M-Kingsville 1 (Game 2)

In the bottom of the first, the Buffs used a one out single from Shiflett and a RBI triple from Day for a 1-0 lead and the first lead of the series.  Junior Hunter Henderson took the Shane Veeder offering deep for a two run home run and a 3-0 lead for his first home run as a Buff.  Chapman belted a double to left following the round-tripper.  A sacrifice bunt moved Chapman to third with two away. 

Sebi Palacios relieved Veeder to begin the bottom of the second inning for the Javelinas as it was his first game since April 15^th.

In the third, a leadoff walk, followed by back-to-back singles from TAMUK got the Javelinas on the board with nobody out.  A great diving double play got two outs for the Buffs and a strikeout looking ended the frame.

On the first pitch with two away in the bottom of the fifth, Henderson hit his second home run of the game for a 5-1 lead.  Following a walk, Fuller got into the long ball act with a two run shot to left center for a 7-1 lead.  Hunter Lehman replaced Palacios following the two-bagger from LaBrie. 

Cole began the bottom of the sixth with a double to left center, followed by a RBI triple from Hansen off the center field wall for an 8-1 lead.  Shiflett hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 9-1 lead.  Fuller hit a RBI ground-rule double for a 10-1 lead.  Jacob Foitek relieved Lehman to try and get out of the inning preventing further damage.  LaBrie doubled home two runs as all nine Buffs came to bat in the inning and a 12-1 lead.

WT set the Javelinas down in order in the seventh for the run-rule win.  The Buffs tallied 12 runs on 16 hits with no errors, while TAMUK had one run on five hits with no errors.  WT senior starter Luke Wiechec (3-2) went the distance, allowing five hits, one earned run, walked two and fanned nine.  Veeder took the loss (4-3) going one inning, allowing four hits, three earned runs and he walked one.

The Buffs were led by three players with three hits and two others had two.  Henderson was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and four RBI along with two home runs, while Fuller was 3 for 3 with three RBI and two runs score and Shiflett was 3 for 3 with a RBI and two runs scored.