CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M junior first baseman Luis Amaro drove in five runs on three hits as the Buffs rallied past Northwestern Oklahoma State 17-7 in eight innings for a series sweep on Saturday afternoon at Wilder Park in Canyon. With the win, the Buffs improve to 6-0 on the season while the Rangers fell to 2-5.
The Rangers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the first inning but Jimmy Cubillos got the momentum back on the Buffs side in the bottom half of the inning with a single up the middle followed by a deep shot to right center from Adam Adkins putting runners on second and third with one out. Luis Amaro picked up two of his five RBIs on the next at bat as the Roselle Park, N.J. took a 2-0 offering off the left center wall.
Cole Sanchez started off the bottom of the second as he was hit by a pitch followed by a Nick Canas single up the middle of the infield. Aaron Vallance then proceeded to load the bases after beating out a bunt placed down the third base line. Bodie Bryan drove in two runs on the next pitch with a blooper that dropped in between three Rangers to cut the deficit to two runs. After Jimmy Cubillos reached on a fielder's choice and Adkins walked, Amaro tied the game with a hard hit ball to right field. Troy Labrie would give the Buffs their first lead of the game with his next swing of the bat as the Maple Valley, Wash. native blasted one down the left field line to plate Adkins and Amaro.
Dominic Yearego kept the Rangers at bay as he got the Buffs out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the third when he got pinch hitter Colton Krokroskia to send a high pop up down the left field line with one out. Bryan made an acrobat sliding catch from his short top position to record the second out before popping to his feet to throw out the Casey Dickerman at home to end the inning.
WT added to their lead in the bottom of the 5th as Vallance came around to score after a leadoff walk on a sacrifice fly to deep center from Adkins to make it 12-6. The Buffs added four more just two innings later as Nick Canas scored on a wild pitch while Bryan, Adkins and Amaro all drove in runs.
The Rangers showed some fight in the top of the eighth as Arturo Castro's sacrifice fly brought home Garrett Douglas cutting the Buffs lead to 15-7 but the Buffs ended the game in the bottom half of that inning as Chad Brown motored down the line to score a wild pitch before Bryan's fourth RBI of the game brought home Canas to make it 17-7.
Yearego picked up his second win of the season after fanning four batters on three hits in 4 2/3 innings of relief.
UP NEXT
The Buffs will open up a three-game series with Oklahoma Panhandle State at Wilder Park next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18.
