SAN ANGELO, Texas – Behind 11 strikeouts from West Texas A&M junior pitcher Marshall Kasowski and a combined shutout, the Buffs blanked Texas A&M-Kingsville in the first game of the 2017 Lone Star Conference Baseball Championship, 3-0.  With the win, the Buffs improved to 33-16, while Texas A&M-Kingsville fell to 31-17. 

The Buffs tallied three runs on seven hits with two errors, while TAMUK score no runs on five hits with one error.  WT handed TAMUK its fifth-straight loss and improved to 7-2 on the year against TAMUK.  The Buffs advance to the winner's bracket game tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m. against the winner of Angelo State and Cameron. 

WT had a pair of hits in each of the first two innings, but were unable to score as TAMUK turned a double play in the first and starter Preston Plovanich got his second strikeout to end the second inning, following a double to right by senior Chad Brown.

In the bottom of the second, Pablo Hernandez doubled to right center to begin the frame for the Javelinas.  Jimmy Roche was plunked by the Kasowski offering, for two on with nobody out, and a fly out to right moved Hernandez to third with one away.  Kasowski fanned his second of the game for two away.  Down to TAMUK's final strike of the inning, Kasowski fanned his third with high heat getting out of the inning with runners the corners.

The Buffs hit their second double of the game, but were unable to get a run across as Plovanich fanned his fourth Buff in the top of the third to end the threat as WT stranded a runner in each of the first three innings. 

Senior John Baiada put a great bunt down the third base line for a single with one out in the top of the fourth and Brown singled to left for two on base.  TAMUK turned its second double play of the game to get out of the jam as WT left its fourth stranded in four innings. 

An error began the bottom of the fourth for the Javelinas as Roche singled through the right side for two on for TAMUK once again with nobody out.  Kasowski fanned Hunter Perkins for the first out.  A walk to Dax McCleary loaded the bases for the Javelinas.  Kasowski fanned Alex Gonzalez for the second out and fanned Alec Kana for the third out as TAMUK left the bags full. 

In the top of the fifth, junior Adam Adkins drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a ground out.  Junior Jimmy Cubillos singled through the right side, plating Adkins for a 1-0 lead.  Junior Nick Canas singled through the right side for two on, but TAMUK came up with its third double play of the game to get out of the inning with WT leading 1-0.

Kasowski fanned the Javelinas in order in the bottom of the sixth for his 10^th strikeout of the game marking the 10^th time this season Kasowski has fanned 10 or more in a game and third-straight start.  To that point, he had 152 strikeouts need just six to tie the LSC record for strikeouts in a season set by Garrett Murdy of Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2004. 

TAMUK made a move to the bullpen in the top of the seventh as Shane McCarley relieved Plovanich.  Adkins hit a can of corn to left, but Kana lost the ball in the sun as it fell out of his glove for a three-base error.  Following a walk, a wild pitch moved the WT runners to second and third with nobody out.  A sacrifice fly from Cubillos plated Adkins for a 2-0 lead.  An intentional walk put runners at first and second for senior Troy LaBrie who was plunked by a pitch loading the bases.  A sacrifice fly from junior Luis Amaro plated the second run of the inning for a 3-0 lead as both runners advanced to second and third following the score.  WT left two on in the frame. 

Plovanich took the loss (6-4) finished the game pitching six innings, allowing seven hits, one earned run, walked three and he fanned five in 94 pitches.

A hit batsman and walk put two on for the Javelinas with two out in the bottom of the seventh.  Kasowski had a 3-1 count on Levi Zents and, following a mound meeting, Kasowski came back with a strike for a 3-2 count.  A grounder to first would have been the third out, but an error loaded the bases for the Javelinas for the second miscue of the game on the Buffs.  Kasowski got a liner to short ending the frame as TAMUK left the bases loaded for the second time in the game.

TAMUK retired WT in order in the eighth for the first time in the game the Buffs had been retired in order.  In the bottom of the inning, sophomore Dominic Yearego relieved Kasowski as he went seven innings, allowing four hits, walked two and fanned 11.  He now is five strikeouts away from tying the conference record of 158.  He improved to 9-4 on the season with the win.

With two out in the bottom of the eighth, Hunter Perkins doubled to left center, but was gunned down at third 865 to end the inning.  Yearego retired the Javelinas in order for the victory as he recorded his fourth save of the season. 

Offensively, the Buff were led by three players who each had two hits as Cubillos was 2 for 4 with two RBI to lead the team.  Canas had two hits as did Brown in the contest.  Five different Javelinas each had a hit.  WT improved to 7-2 on the year in shutouts this season.

Check back with www.gobuffsgo.com to see whom WT will face in tomorrow's game.