CANYON, Texas – No. 9 West Texas A&M left 17 runners on bases as they dropped the final two games of their Top 10 showdown against No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday afternoon at Schaeffer Park.
The Lady Buffs return to action on April 5-6 when they make the trip to Portales, N.M. to face off against rival Eastern New Mexico in a Lone Star Conference three game series.
THE BASICS
Game One Score:#6 Texas A&M-Kingsville 10, #9 West Texas A&M 6
Game Two Score:#6 Texas A&M-Kingsville 10, #9 West Texas A&M 6
Records:#9 West Texas A&M (24-10, 15-6 LSC), #6 Texas A&M-Kingsville (28-5, 14-4 LSC)
Location:Canyon, Texas
Game One
WT jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks in large part to a pair of errors from the Javelinas. Kourtney Coveney reached on base with one out on an error from Claire Chernosky before Miranda Grotenhuis walked on five pitches. The runners would advance a base following a wild pitch followed by a RBI single up the middle from Kylee Moore. Shayne Starkey would be the second Lady Buff to walk to load the bases followed by a fielder's choice. Brittany Cruz was up next and sent a ball high to left center that was misplayed by the Javelinas allowing three runs to score.
The Lady Buffs would make it 5-0 the following inning on Grotenhuis' double to right center to score Alyx Cordell, who reached base on leadoff walk. TAMUK got a run back in the top of the third inning on a RBI single to center field from Anastasia Leibas. The visitors would proceed to take the lead, 6-5, in the top of the fourth with five runs on five hits and two errors. They would make it eight unanswered runs in the top of the fifth when Loren Kelly and Victoria Schoonard-Saborio came around to score. Another Javelina miscue allowed the Lady Buffs to get a run back in the bottom half of the inning with Moore scoring on a throwing error after doubling to left center with one out. TAMUK would add two more insurance runs in the top of the sixth, both coming on a single to left field from Schoonard-Saborio.
Kyra Lair (12-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Miranda Martinez went 3 1/3 innings in relief allowing four runs (four earned) on eight hits with a walk and strikeout.
Game Two
The Lady Buffs threatened to open the scoring in the bottom of the second following Moore's double to center field putting runners on second and third with two outs but came away empty handed. They would runners in scoring position the following inning when Ruby Salzman reached on a walk before stealing second. An error on a grounder hit to the shortstop from Cordell put runners on first and third with one out but once against TAMUK's Saidi Castillo hunkered down and got the final out of the inning.
It was the Javelinas who threatened in the top of the third inning loading the bases with two outs but Starkey got Leibas to fly out to right field to end the threat. WT loaded the bases in the bottom of the half inning but a fine defensive play from Leibas at short made sure the game remained scoreless.
TAMUK would take a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning a two RBI single to right field to score Lindsey Angelico and Loren Kelly. They would later load the bases but Starkey got pinch hitter Matisen Onofrei to ground out to third base. The Lady Buffs looked prime to tie or take the lead in the bottom half of the inning but stranded three more runners after loading the bases with one out.
Starkey (10-4) went the distance allowing two runs (two earned) on 11 hits with no walk and two strikeouts.
