PORTALES, N.M. – Following a disappointing 7-1 loss in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday, the No. 3 West Texas A&M baseball team responded with a 3-1, come-from-behind win in the nightcap for a 2-1 series lead over Eastern New Mexico heading into the finale Sunday.  WT is 20-5 overall and 2-1 in Lone Star Conference play, while ENMU sits at 22-7 and 1-2 in league play.

The Buffs have a chance for the series win Sunday in the finale scheduled for 2 p.m. CT at Greyhound Stadium.  Fans can access live stats and streaming links for the game on www.gobuffsgo.com on the baseball schedule page.

Eastern New Mexico 7, #3 West Texas A&M 1 (Game One)

In the opener, ENMU broke the game open in the bottom of the second with four runs in the second as a walk and single put runners at the corners with one out.  A sacrifice bunt from Zach Shank plated the first run.  Nicholas Ankerman singled to left and advanced to second on a throwing error, plating the second run.  Another RBI single up the middle plated Ankerman, followed by another RBI single from Chris Padilla for a 4-0 lead.  The second throwing error of the game on the Buffs plated the fifth run as ENMU scored five runs on five hits in the frame.  WT sophomore Dominic Yearego relieved junior starter Ryan Larison and got the final out of the inning. 

The Buffs had their best scoring opportunity in the fourth as a walk and a junior Luis Amaro single, helped out by a throwing error, put runners at second and third with one out.  Senior Troy LaBrie grounded out to short, but plated Amaro for a 5-1 deficit. 

A pair of doubles with one away in the bottom of the fourth plated the sixth run of the game for the Greyhounds as Padilla drove home his second run of the game.  The third WT miscue put runners at second and third, but Mike McNicholl lined into a double play to end the inning, keeping the margin at five. 

The second error on the Greyhounds put a runner at second in the fifth for the Buffs with two out.  On a 3-2 count, ENMU hurler Austin Paisar stymied the Buffs once again as WT fell to one of seven with runners on, zero of four with runners in position and zero of five with two outs.  To that point, ENMU was six of ten with runners on, four of seven in scoring position and five of eight with two out. 

Senior Thomas Garland relieved Yearego to begin the bottom of the fifth and retired his first batter.  Garland fanned Jared Gay for the second out, but Paul Tapia singled up the middle for his third hit of the game and sixth hit by the Greyhounds with two out.  Shank singled to left for two on with two out.  Shank got caught trying to steal for the third out ending the threat.

With the heart of the order up and six outs left, the Buffs had some work to do in the sixth trailing by five runs.  Junior Nick Canas began the inning with a single to left center on the first pitch from Paisar for his first hit of the game for his 20^th consecutive game with a hit to lead the team.  Two quick outs followed as the Buffs continued to struggle from the plate.  Canas stole second putting him in scoring position for LaBrie, who flied out to center ending the threat.

Ankerman singled to center to begin the bottom of the sixth for the Greyhounds and the 11^th hit of the game for ENMU.  A sacrifice bunt moved Ankerman to second for the top of the order.  Garland retired Padilla for the second out, but Ankerman advanced to third.  Junior Phillip Muldrow relieved Garland and ENMU leading hitter, Alex DeLaCruz, earned a free pass after he was hit by the Muldrow offering on a 1-2 count, putting runners at the corners.  McNicholl made the Buffs pay with an infield single plating Ankerman for a 7-1 lead on a 1-2 count.  A fielder's choice and the fourth error by WT loaded the bases.  Muldrow fanned Gay to end the frame as ENMU left the bags full.

Junior pinch-hitter Cole Sanchez hit a single through the left side in the seventh with one out.  Junior Bodie Bryan drew a walk for two on and senior Aaron Vallance at the plate.  Vallance got his first hit of the game loading the bases for the Buffs with a single down the right field line as the top of the order came to the plate.  ENMU made a call to the bullpen as Victor Persad relieved Paisar.  WT sophomore Christian Loya pinch-hit for junior Jimmy Cubillos.  Persad fanned Loya for the second out.  Senior John Baiada flied out to center to end the game.

With the loss, the Buffs' three-game winning streak ended, as ENMU snapped an eight-game winning streak by the Buffs.  WT tallied one run on five hits with four errors, while ENMU had seven runs on 12 hits with two errors.

Paisar improved to 3-1 on the year, going 6.1 innings, allowing five hits, one earned run, walked two and fanned four.  Larison fell to 3-2 on the year, going 1.2 innings, allowing five hits, five runs – four earned, walked one and fanned two.

Amaro went two for three from the plate for WT, while Tapia went three for three with a run scored to lead the team.

#3 West Texas A&M 3, Eastern New Mexico 1 (Game 2)

Down 1-0 in the sixth, the Buffs plated three runs off ENMU reliever Dwight Velarde after starter Keenan Dodd left the game holding a 1-0 lead as WT had just four hits, while Dodd walked three and fanned eight in five innings. 

A strikeout began the frame and LaBrie reached on a miscue, while Baiada walked for two on.  Later, a two out walk loaded the bases for Vallance, who came through with a two RBI single to left on a 1-2 count for a 2-1 lead.  Cubillos singled down the third base line for a RBI and a 3-1 lead. 

ENMU left a runner at third in the sixth off WT senior starter Joshua Payne, but Payne fanned the final two batters of the inning, sending the game to the seventh.  WT had a chance for more in the seventh, but was unable to push anything more across the dish.

In the bottom of the frame, WT senior Justin McAllister relieved Payne looking for his fifth save of the season and second of the series.  McAllister retired the Greyhounds in order for the win.

Payne improved to 5-1 on the year with the win, while Velarde fell to 1-1.  Payne went six innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, walked three and fanned nine.  Velarde pitched the final two innings, surrendering three unearned runs, while walking two and fanning four. 

The offense got better in the nightcap for the Buffs for three runs on eight hits with an error, while ENMU was held to one run on three hits with one error.