TUCSON, Arizona – The #2 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M topped Academy of Art in the opener before dropping their first game of the season to #23 Dixie State on a cold and windy Day 2 at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Arizona at Lincoln Park. The Lady Buffs are now 14-1 overall on the season.
 
The Lady Buffs are scheduled to take on the #23 TrailBlazers of Dixie State on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. CT to close out the Cactus Classic in Tucson. Rain showers in the area caused a delay on Saturday and look to continue into the night and Sunday, stay tuned to GoBuffsGo.com for information.
 
#2 West Texas A&M 9, Academy of Art 5
The Lady Buffs started off the scoring in the top of the first inning as Allie Smith singled up the middle with two outs and runners on second and third for the two RBI single followed later in the inning by a Kylee Moore two-run single to the fence in center field for the early 4-0 lead. Art U responded in the bottom of the frame with a pair of RBI singles to cut the lead to 4-2.
 
WT added to their leads in the third as Shayne Starkey doubled off of the bag down the first base line to score Smith and Maddie Green with one out followed two pitches later by a Brittany Cruz two-run bomb to left at 8-2. The Urban Knights answered again in the home half of the third with a one-out RBI single up the middle but Kilee Halbert responded with a pair of strikeouts to end the frame.
 
Ashley Hardin started the fourth with a four-pitch walk followed by a Shea Ibrahim double down the left field line, Smith doubled to left field to drive in another run at 9-3, Arts U answered again as they scored two runs in the home half of the fourth with one of those coming on a WT error with two outs to cut the lead to 9-5.
 
Halbert picked up her third win in as many games (7-0) as the junior allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts in the complete game win.
 
#23 Dixie State 8, #2 West Texas A&M 4
The Lady Buffs didn't waste any time taking the early lead in the second game of the day as they used a two-run triple off of the right field wall by Smith for the early 2-0 lead. Cruz made back-to-back highlight plays as the reigning LSC Freshman of the Year layed out for a ball down the line followed by an outfield assist from right as WT took the 2-0 lead into the second.
 
Dixie responded in the home half of the second inning as Dani Bartholf laced a double down the right field line past the temporary fencing for a ground-rule RBI double to cut the lead to 2-1. The TrailBlazers struck again in the third with a leadoff single and a WT error to put a runner on second followed by a groundout to Alyx Cordell at short and a HBP to put runners on the corners, Shayne Starkey forced a sac fly to center field for the second out and a popup to Hunter Ervin at the plate to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Ibrahim led off the fourth with a bunt single followed two batters later by a hit-by-pitch and a Starkey bloop RBI single to right center field for the 3-2 lead, DSU responded again in the home half as Kenzie Sawyer tied the game with a solo blast to center field with one out before Starkey stranded runners on second and third with a popup to Ervin to end the inning, 3-3.
 
WT retook the lead in the top of the fifth inning as Smith doubled to center field to drive in another RBI as the Lady Buffs took the 4-3 lead. Josey Hartman doubled to right center to start the fifth and knock Starkey from the circle as Chelsea Skipper entered and DSU put runners on first and second on a WT error with no outs, Skipper forced a fielder's choice up the middle followed by a walk and HBP to load the bases and bring Alexis Alfonso to the circle. Dixie took the lead on an RBI single to short followed by a strikeout and a flyout to right to head to the sixth with DSU leading 5-4.
 
The TrailBlazers added to their lead and put the game out of reach in the home half of the sixth inning as they scored three runs on three hits for the 8-4 win. Skipper (0-1) picked up the loss for the Lady Buffs, giving up one run (earned) on no hits with a walk in her 0.1 innings of relief.