LAS VEGAS, New Mexico – The #10 Buffaloes of West Texas A&N showed their depth on Friday afternoon as they picked up a pair of South Central Region road victories at Brandt Baseball Field against New Mexico Highlands to open the 2019 season.
 
The Buffs and Cowboys wrap-up their weekend series tomorrow afternoon with doubleheader action starting at 12:30 p.m. CT at Brandt Baseball Field. Saturday's games have been moved up half an hour to allow more daylight for the series finale.
 
THE BASICS:
- Game 1 Score: #10 West Texas A&M 6, New Mexico Highlands 5
- Game 2 Score: #10 West Texas A&M 4, New Mexico Highlands 2
- Records: WT (2-0) / NMHU (0-2)
- Location: Las Vegas, New Mexico
- Venue: Brandt Baseball Field
- Series (Streak): Buffs lead 31-14 (W12)
 
HOW IT HAPPENENED (GAME 1):
The Buffs got on the board first in the top of the first inning as Kyle Kaufman doubles to the right center field gap with two outs to score Christian Loya for the early 1-0 lead. Highlands responsed in the home half as they took advantage of a WT throwing error with two outs to tie the game at 1-1. The Cowboys took their first lead of the game in the second as Gayland Young singled up the middle to score Jared Brown and make it 2-1.
 
WT tied the game in the top of the fourth inning as Nick Guaragna lifted a sac fly to center field to score Jaxxon Fagg. NMHU responded again in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs to knock WT starter Darin Cook from the contest, Braden Baker entered and got out of the jam as the Cowboys took a 4-2 lead.
 
The Buffs cut into the lead in the top of the sixth as Tag Baxter grounded out to third to score Loya followed by a Fagg single up the middle before Darius Carter gave the Buffs the lead with a two-run shot to left center field to run the score to 6-4. Highlands would get one more in the home half of the seventh before Dominic Yearego entered and shutdown the remaining two frames for the victory.
 
Baker picked up the win on the mound (1-0) for the Buffs, giving up one run (earned) on two hits with one walk and a pair of strikeout in his 2.1 innings of relief while Yearego earned the save, allowing no hits over the final two frames with one walk and five strikeouts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2):
WT started off the scoring in the top of the second inning as Justice Nakagawa lifted a bloop single down the right field line to score Fagg for the early 1-0 lead, the Cowboys answered in the home half of the frame as Young sat on a Joe Corbett fastball for a solo shot to left field to tie it up at 1-1.
 
Loya connected on a solo shot of his own to leadoff the third followed by a homerun by A. Francis to keep the game tied at 2-2. Corbett gave way to Zach Dixon after five strong innings as the Arizona State transfer kept NMHU off-balance during a quick sixth inning. WT took the lead for good in the top of the seventh as Loya lifted a two-run shot down the right field line to score Nakagawa. That's all that Yearego would need as the senior sat the Cowboys down in order in the home half of the inning for the victory.
 
Dixon picked up the decision in the nightcap for the Buffs (1-0), tossing just seven pitches in a quiet seventh inning while Yearego earned his second save of the day, striking out one in the final frame.