CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M had five players with atleast three RBI on Friday night as the #7 Lady Buffs pounded out 20 hits on their way to a 20-1 run-rule win over Texas Woman's in WT's Lone Star Conference opener in front of over 400 fans at Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas. The Lady Buffs move to 15-2 (1-0 LSC) overall while the Pioneers fall to 9-8 (1-3 LSC) on the season.
 
Friday's contest ties the 7^th most runs scored in a game (20) by the Lady Buffs and it also ties for the 5^th most hits by WT in a single game. The eight doubles by the Lady Buffs sets a new program single-game record while tying for 7^th all-time in RBI with 19.
 
The Lady Buffs started off the scoring in the home half of the first inning as Kourtney Coveney doubled to left center field to score Shanna McBroom from first base before WT loaded the bases with one out but TWU's Tori Bice responded with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning with WT leading, 1-0.
 
Shea Ibrahim led off the bottom of the third inning with an infield single followed two batters later by a Pioneer error to put runners on the corners with one out, Shayne Starkey layed down a perfect bunt in front of the plate for a single to load the bases followed by a popup behind the plate before Brittany Cruz tripled to right center to drive in three followed by a McBroom RBI single to left center. WT wasn't done yet as Ashley Hardin doubled to left field to score another run followed by a wild pitch to score Coveney and an Ibrahim RBI double to left center for the 8-0 lead.
 
The Pioneers got on the board in the top of the fourth inning as a pair of hits put runners on the corners with one out followed by an Alexis Elizondo squeeze bunt to score Hazel Puempel from third, the Lady Buffs committed their second error of the game followed by a full-count walk to load the bases before Kilee Halbert forced a groundout to the circle to end the inning with WT leading 8-1.
 
Maddie Green doubled to left field to start the fourth to knock Bice from the game followed by a wild pitch to move Green up to third, Starkey flied out to deep center to drive in the run followed later in the inning by a Hardin two-run double to left center followed by an Ibrahim RBI double to center and an Allie Smith single thru the right side to run the lead to 14-1. WT wasn't done yet as Sierra Gentry connected on her first career homerun with a three-run shot on top of the black monster in left field followed later in the inning by a McBroom two run shot down the left field line at 20-1.
 
Halbert picked up the win (8-0) in the circle for the Lady Buffs, giving up one run (earned) on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in the complete game victory.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Buffs return to action tomorrow afternoon as they finish off the LSC series with a doubleheader scheduled for 2 p.m. at Schaeffer Park in Canyon. Members of Area 16 of Special Olympics will be joining the WT GameDay crew as athletes from the local chapter will be performing the national anthem, reading WT's starting lineup and throwing out the first pitch to conclude Special Olympics Recognition Weekend presented by Tate Prescott & Friends.