KINGSVILLE, Texas – The #11 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M struggled at the plate all afternoon and costly defensive mistakes gave the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville the Lone Star Conference weekend series at Hubert Field in Kingsville, Texas.
 
The Lady Buffs finish their South Texas road trip on Sunday afternoon as they take on the Dustdevils of Texas A&M-International in a regional doubleheader at Dustdevil Field with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. in Laredo, Texas.
 
THE BASICS:
- Game 1 Score: Texas A&M-Kingsville 7, #11 West Texas A&M 4
- Game 2 Score: Texas A&M-Kingsville 3, #11 West Texas A&M 2
- Records: WT (35-8, 18-6 LSC) / TAMUK (26-24, 13-14 LSC)
- Location: Kingsville, Texas
- Venue: Hubert Field
 
HOW IT HAPPENENED (GAME 1):
The Lady Buffs got on the board first in the top of the second inning as Shanna McBroom connected on a solo bomb with one out to left field for the early 1-0 lead. Kingsville tied up the game in the bottom of the second inning as Victoria Schoonard-Saborio lifted a sac fly to center field to make it 1-1.
 
The Javelins took their first lead of the series in the home half of the fourth inning as Roxy Chapa led off the frame with a solo homerun to left center for the 2-1 lead, Kingsville wasn't done yet as an RBI double to left field plated another run to knock Shayne Starkey from the game at 3-1. Stevie McLemore entered the circle and forced a double-play line drive followed by a grounder to Alyx Cordell at short to end the inning.
 
WT responded in the top of the fifth inning as Kylee Moore connected on her 22^nd homerun of the season with a two-run blast down the right field line to tie the game at 3-3. Kingsville loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning before a squeeze bunt attempt with two strikes was fouled off for the first out of the frame, Loren Kelly singled to third to drive in the leading run followed by an RBI groundout to first before a wild pitch scored two more to make it 7-3 headed to the seventh.
 
Moore doubled to the left center field gap to lead off the seventh followed by a grounder to move the junior to third with one out, Starkey singled to left center to drive in Moore but Kingsville's Sarah Gilbert forced a pair of grounders to end the game.
 
Starkey picked up the loss (13-1) in the circle for the Lady Buffs, giving up three runs on six hits with no walks and no strikeouts in her three innings of work.
 
HOW IT HAPPENENED (GAME 2):
The rubber match of the series was a pitcher's duel early as the Lady Buffs and Javelinas went into the fifth inning scoreless, Ashley Hardin continued her record setting senior campaign as the Flower Mound product lifted her 78^th career homerun to left center in the top of the fifth inning to score Cordell as the Lady Buffs took a 2-0 lead.
 
Kingsville wouldn't go down without a fight as they put runners on first and second with two outs followed by a single to the outfield and a Lady Buff error as a pair of Javelinas raced around to score to tie the game at 2-2 headed to the sixth.
 
The Javelinas looked to retake the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with two outs before Kilee Halbert forced a fielder's choice groundout to Suka Van Gurp at second to end the inning, the Lady Buffs flied out three straight times including a balls to the warning track by Hardin and Moore in the top of the seventh to send the teams to the home half tied at 2-2.
 
Kingsville put a runner in scoring position to start the seventh with a pair of errors by the Lady Buffs followed by a bunt single and another WT throwing error as the Javelinas walked off for the 3-2 victory.  Halbert picked up the loss for the Lady Buffs (18-6) in the circle, giving up three runs (one earned) on eight hits with seven walks and two strikeouts in the complete game loss.