ODESSA, Texas – Kyra Lair improved to 10-0 and Kylee Moore went 2-for-4 from the plate hitting her 11thhome run of the season as No. 9 West Texas A&M defeated UT Permian Basin 6-4 on Friday evening at Falcon Field in Odessa, Texas. Moore drove in a team-high three runs giving her 174 for her career to move into sixth all-time.
WT will finish the three-game series against the Falcons with a doubleheader tomorrow, March 9. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
THE BASICS
Score:West Texas A&M 6, UT Permian Basin 4
Records:West Texas A&M (17-4, 10-0 LSC), UT Permian Basin (3-17, 0-7 LSC)
Location:Odessa, Texas
Moore wasted no time getting the Lady Buffs on the board with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning. Kourtney Coveney walked on six pitches from the leadoff spot followed by a single up the middle from Shayne Starkey. Ruby Salzman recorded the first out of the inning before Moore went deep for the 11thtime this season with a shot to deep center field. WT came close to adding to their lead in the bottom of the second inning after Shanna McBroom led off with a double to left field. Alyx Cordell walked to put runners on first and second with one out but UTPB's C Juarez recorded to straight outs to end the threat.
The Falcons made it a one-run contest, 3-2, in the bottom of the third inning on three hits. Abby Hernandez's one out sac bunt moved runners to second and third with April Arellano singling to the left side to score both runs during the next at-bat. WT would add to their lead in the top of the sixth with Moore scoring on a wild pitch. The Van, Texas native led off with a double to left field before mobbing to third on a single from Brittany Cruz. During the next at-bat, she would make it 4-2 in favor of WT on a wild pitch.
They would two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh with Salzman getting credited with a RBI. Koveney reached base with a one out single before moving over to second a sac bunt from Starkey. Koveney would come around to score on Salzman's single to the left side advancing to second on the throw. A fielding error from UTPB's second baseman on a hit from Moore would plate Salzman to make it 6-2. UTPB would get two runs back in the bottom half of the inning but their rally would fall short as Lair improved to 10-0 on the season. The freshman allowed four runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks while tying a career-high with six strikeouts.
