CANYON, Texas – Kourtney Coveney's double off the wall in right center in the bottom of the eighth scored pinch runner Marcela Mejia to lift the No. 6 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M to a 3-2 walk-off victory over Texas Woman's on Thursday night in front of 405 fans at Schaeffer Park.
The Lady Buffs will honor its four seniors during Friday's doubleheader against Texas Woman's with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. The WTAMU Veterans Network will provide a tailgate prior to the game.
THE BASICS
Score:#6 West Texas A&M 3, Texas Woman's 2 (8 Inning)
Records:#6
West Texas A&M (27810, 19-6 LSC), Texas Woman's (10-25, 8-17 LSC)
Location:Canyon, Texas
TWU loaded the bases in the top of the first with one out after Jordan Kisselburg was hit by a pitch but Shayne Starkey forced Tara Solomon into an inning ending double play. The Lady Buffs took advantage of the nice glove work by the senior by going up 1-0 in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly to center from Amelya Huggins. Kylee Moore walked before advancing to third on a Shanna McBroom double to right field. Huggins got enough of the 1-1 pitch to score Moore and put WT ahead early.
WT came close to adding to their lead in the bottom of the second after a one out double from Ruby Salzman but the freshman was stranded on third. The Pioneers got on the board in the top of the third inning on a two RBI double down the right field line by Kisselberg. The Lady Buffs came away empty handed in the bottom half of the inning after loading the bases when Huggins was hit by a pitch with two outs.
The Lady Buffs would load the bases again in the fourth inning following three consecutive walks but Coveney's hard hit grounder went straight to the second basemen for the final out of the inning. TWU threatened to add to their lead in the top of the fourth putting runners on first and second with one out but Starkey once again got out of the jam with a pair of fly balls.
WT would tie the game at 2-all in the bottom of the seventh inning on Brittany Cruz's single off the wall in center to plate Starkey. Huggins and Starkey both walked before Salzman singled to right but pinch runner Brittney Gonzalez was thrown out a third for the first out of the inning. Cruz got all of the 1-2 offering from Bailey Turner but the wind knocked it to down allowing the tying run to cross the plate.
In extra innings, TWU looked prime to retake the lead following a leadoff double from Solomon but Starkey retired the next three batters including her first strikeout of the contest. The Lady Buffs only needed only two at-bats to walk-off as winners as Moore was walked for the third time on five pitches. Coveney sent the second pitch she saw to the wall in right center to plate Mejia and give the Lady Buffs their first extra inning victory of the season.
Starkey (13-4) pitched a career-high eight innings allowing two runs (two earned) on seven hits with three walks and one strikeout.
