CANYON, Texas – The No. 3 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M split a doubleheader with Arkansas-Fort Smith on Friday afternoon at Wilder Park in Canyon. The Buffs won the first game 5-1 behind another dominant performance from junior pitcher Marshall Kasowski before falling 5-4 in the night cap. With the split, the Buffs improve to 26-7 while UAFS are now 19-15.
The final game of the three-game series is scheduled to start tomorrow, Saturday April 8, at 1 p.m. at Wilder Park.
West Texas A&M 5, Arkansas-Fort Smith 1
Kasowski struck out 15 in a complete game two-hitter as Jimmy Cubillos went 2-for-3 with a home run and three runs for the Buffs in game one of the doubleheader. The Buffs went 9-for-25 with four doubles and two home runs.
Cubillos started the first inning with a double, his seventh of the season, to left center on a 2-2 count putting a runner in scoring position with no outs. Nick Canas brought his RBI total to 23 at the next at-bat with a single to the right fielder giving the Buffs an early 1-0 lead.
Kasowski reached 100 strikeouts for the season in the top of the second as he struck out the side in nine pitches. The Conroe, Texas native continued to roll in the third striking out the first two batters before getting Logan Allen to ground out to second to end the inning.
Cubillos gave the Buffs a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning with his first home run of the season over the netting in right field. Kasowski continued to dominate the Lions at the plate in the top of the fourth picking up three more strikeouts bringing his total to nine on the game.
Cubillos came around to score for the third time in the game in the fifth inning on a double from Canas to centerfield with one out. Adam Adkins doubled down the left field line to bring home Canas giving the Buffs a 4-0 lead after five complete at Wilder Park.
The Lions scored their only run in the top of the sixth on a home run by Kasey Cooper with two outs. The Buffs got that run back in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of a Troy LaBrie home run. The Maple Valley, Washington native's fourth home run of the season and first since February 11 restored the Buffs four run lead. Kasowski struck out the side in the top of the seventh as he improved to 7-2 on the season.
West Texas A&M 4 , Arkansas-Fort Smith 5
The Buffs took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Canas reached base a four pitch walk before moving over to third on a double down the left field line by Adam Adkins. Luis Amaro drove in both Canas and Adkins with a hard hit double down the right field line for a double.
The Lions tied the game at took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third with back-to-back home runs from Dion Williams and Jace Pitchford. They added to their lead in the sixth with two more runs on RBI's from Drew Duncan and Dion Williams before Tate Huebner came into pitch for Payne.
The Buffs worked themselves back into the game in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of a two-run homer from sophomore Blake Weaver. LaBrie led the inning off with a single up the middle followed by Weaver's second long ball of the year bringing the Buffs within one run, 5-4.
WT had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when Adkins singled to left to start the inning. He moved to second on a wild pitch followed by a walk to Amaro to put runners on first and second with no outs. LaBrie moved the runners to third and second with a sac bunt to the pitcher for the first out of the inning. John Baiada hit a liner to second and Weaver grounded out to the pitcher a the Buffs stranded two runners.
Payne (6-2) suffered just his second loss of the season going 5 1/3 with seven hits, five earned runs with one walk and nine strikeouts. Huebner pitched well in relief as he surrendered one hit in 3 2/3 while striking out seven.
