CANYON, Texas – Four runs in the fourth inning, including a three-run home run from visiting Tarleton State handed the No. 16 West Texas A&M Buffs a 4-2 loss in the opener of a four game series at Wilder Park Friday afternoon.  With the loss, the Buffs fell to 27-10 on the year and 8-3 in Lone Star Conference play, while Tarleton State improved to 24-17 and 7-9 in league play.

In the bottom of the first, junior Nick Canas hit a one out single to left and, with two away, senior Troy LaBrie singled through the right side for runners at the corners.  Senior John Baiada delivered a single to right field for a RBI and a 1-0 lead.

A single by Dylan Lemons in the fourth and a walk put two on for the Texans with one out.  It was the first hit of the game for Tarleton State of WT junior starter Marshall Kasowski.  Following a meeting at the mound, on a 3-2 count, Jake Hasbrouck hit a three run, opposite field, home run for a 3-1 Tarleton State lead.  It was Tarleton State's league-leading 45^th home run of the season and the eighth for Hasbrouck on the season tying him for second in the conference in round-trippers.  Jose Reyes hit a bloop-single to right plating a run as Hunter Seales ended up caught in a run down for a 4-1 Tarleton State lead. 

A leadoff walk for the Buffs began the fourth, but on a 3-2 count with a pitch, which looked low and inside, the umpire called strike three on senior Chad Brown for one away.  Brown had battled back from an 0-2 count in the at bat.  A ground out to the pitcher ended the frame.

WT sophomore Dominic Yearego relieved Kasowski (L, 7-3) for the fifth as Kasowski went four innings, allowing four hits, four earned runs, walked three and fanned four.  The nation's leader in strikeouts, Kasowski, has 122 for the season, pulling within four of the school-record set by former Buff Dylan James in 2014 with 126. 

Tarleton State went to the bullpen to begin the bottom of the sixth as Conner Fletcher relieved starter Nathan Jackson.  Jackson (W, 1-0) went five innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, walked three and fanned six for 92 pitches.

LaBrie began the bottom of the sixth with a single to right off Fletcher.  Senior John Baiada drew a walk as TSU had a meeting at the mound. Following the meeting, the Buffs hit into an inning-ending triple play around the horn.

A hit batsman and walk chased Fletcher from the game in the bottom of the seventh as Eddie Avila relived Fletcher with one out.  A single through the right side from junior Jimmy Cubillos loaded the bases.  Avila came back with a strikeout for the second out and fanned junior Adam Adkins for the final out as the Buffs left the bags full.  To that point, the Buffs left eight stranded and five in the last two innings with less than two out.

Tarleton State put two on with nobody out in the top of the eighth. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position for Hasbrouck, who was intentionally walked to load the bases.  The Buffs got out of the jam with a pop up and a ground out.

A hit batsman and error put two on for the Buffs in the bottom of the eighth with nobody out.  A sacrifice fly from Brown scored LaBrie for a 4-2 score.  A line out to second followed for the second out.  A ground out ended the inning sending the game to the ninth. 

Reys hit a one out double to the right field gap and a passed ball moved him to third in the top of the ninth.  A walk put runners at the corners.  A 163 double play ended the inning as the Buffs went to the bottom of the ninth, trailing 4-2.

Cubillos hit a one out single to second bringing the tying run to the plate in Canas.  Following a ground out to second, sophomore Christian Loya pinch-hit for Adkins with two away.  Loya came up with a single to center for runners at the corners.  A ground out to second ended the game.  Avila earned his sixth save of the season.

The Buffs had two runs on seven hits with one error as Cubillos and LaBrie each had two hits, while Tarleton State tallied four runs on eight hits with two errors.  Hasbrouck went one for three with three RBI and the round-tripper, while Lemons went two for three with a run scored and Reyes went two for four with a double.  WT left 11 stranded in the game, while TSU left seven on base.

The teams return to action tomorrow with a doubleheader scheduled for 4 p.m. at Wilder Park.  Fans can access live stats and streaming of the games at www.gobuffsgo.com.