CANYON, Texas – Ruby Salzman homered twice as No. 8 West Texas A&M defeated No. 15 Texas A&M-Commerce 10-2 in five innings on Friday afternoon at Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas. The freshman wasn't the only one to go yard as Brittany Cruz, Erica Vessels and Shayne Starkey recorded home runs as WT improved to 8-0 at home this season.
The two teams will finish the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 16, with a first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. Links for
THE BASICS
Score:#8 West Texas A&M 12, #15 Texas A&M-Commerce 2
Records:West Texas A&M (21-5, 12-1 LSC), #15 Texas A&M-Commerce (20-7, 9-4 LSC)
Location:Canyon, Texas
Texas A&M-Commerce jumped out to 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on back-to-back home runs from Jodie Hill and Kayla Kilcrease. The Lady Buffs responded with three runs in the bottom half of their own in the bottom half of the inning including a leadoff home run from Salzman. Following the freshman's homer to center field, Kourtney Coveney drew a five-pitch walk followed by two straight outs before Starkey cleared the bases with an inside the park home run down the left field line.
Both pitchers settled down until WT broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning with four runs on four hits and an error. Cruz tripled to left with one out with Shanna McBroom reaching on a fielding error by the third baseman. Cruz would come around to score as the Lions attempt to throw out McBroom on second was unsuccessful. Vessels continued her streak at the plate with a two-run home run to plate McBroom and make it 5-2. Alyx Cordell would reach base on a single before Salzman sent one deep to the opposite field for her fourth multi home run game of the season knocking out starting pitcher Emily Otto.
Kyra Lair would sit the Lions down in order for the second consecutive inning in the top of the fifth inning before WT ended the game in the bottom half of the inning on Cruz's three-run home run to left center helping WT to their fourth straight run rule victory.
Lair (12-0) remained undefeated in the circle holding the Lions to two runs (two earned) on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
