KINGSVILLE, Texas – WT senior outfielder Ashley Hardin tied the NCAA Division II Career Grand Slam mark while fellow senior Kilee Halbert became the program's all-time leader in complete games as the #11 Lady Buffs used a big fifth inning to roll past the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville to open up a Lone Star Conference series at Hubert Field on Friday night.
 
The Lady Buffs and Javelinas wrap-up their Lone Star Conference weekend series on Saturday afternoon during Senior Day at Hubert Field with first pitch of a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. in Kingsville.
 
THE BASICS:
- Score: #11 West Texas A&M 8, Texas A&M-Kingsville 2
- Records: WT (35-6, 18-4 LSC) / TAMUK (24-24, 11-14 LSC)
- Location: Kingsville, Texas
- Venue: Hubert Field
 
HOW IT HAPPENENED:
Shayne Starkey started off the second inning with a leadoff double followed by an Allie Smith walk and an Alyx Cordell RBI single up the middle to plate Starkey and give the Lady Buffs an early 1-0 lead, the Javelinas looked to respond in the home half of the inning as they loaded the bases with no outs before Halbert forced a fielder's choice followed by a strikeout and grounder to end the threat with WT leading 1-0.
 
The Lady Buffs used the long ball to add to their lead in the top of the fifth inning as Kourtney Coveney led off the inning with a solo homerun to right field followed later in the inning by RBI singled from Allie Smith and Stevie McLemore to extend the lead to 4-0. Cordell drew a two-out walk to turn the WT lineup over as the reigning NFCA National Player of the Week stepped to the plate and cleared the bases with her seventh career grand slam to tie former teammate Allie Cranfill (2012-15) for the NCAA Division II all-time career record.
 
Kingsville wouldn't go down without a fight as Anastasia Leibas singled to right field to score Loren Kelly to cut the lead to 8-1, Roxy Chapa cut into the Lady Buff lead in the home half of the seventh inning with a two-out solo homerun but Halbert forced a groundout to end the game, 8-2.
 
Halbert picked up the win (18-5) in the circle for the Lady Buffs, giving up two runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in her 55^th career complete game to pass former Lady Buff standout Marci Womack (2009-12) for the most in program history.