PORTALES, N.M. – West Texas A&M's Shanna McBroom went 2-for-5 driving in five runs as the No. 9 Lady Buffs got back into the win column with a 10-7 victory over Eastern New Mexico on Friday night at Greyhound Softball Field in Portales, N.M.
The Lady Buffs and Greyhounds wrap the three-game series on Saturday afternoon with first pitch of a doubleheader scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.
THE BASICS
Game Score:#9 West Texas A&M 10, Eastern New Mexico 7
Records:#9 West Texas A&M (25-10, 16-6 LSC), Eastern New Mexico (10-21, 6-13 LSC)
Location:Portales, N.M.
After failing to score with the bases loaded in the top of the first, WT went down 1-0 in the bottom half of the inning as Kayla Marshall scored on a Iliana Mendoza's ground out following a leadoff walk. The Lady Buffs trailed until the top of the third when McBroom connected on three RBI single to right field. Shayne Starkey reached base with one of her three walks in the game before moving to second a one out single by Miranda Grotenhuis. Kylee Moore walked for the second time in the game to load the bases followed by McBroom's bases clearing single. They would add to their lead the following inning as Amelya Huggins walked with the bases to plate Starkey to make it 4-1.
ENMU tied the game at 4-all in the bottom of the fifth on four hits and a pair of errors from the Lady Buffs. The Greyhounds had a chance to take the lead after putting runners on second and third with one out before Starkey forced consecutive pop ups to get out of the jam.
WT retook the lead in the top of the sixth with McBroom, Brittany Cruz and Erica Vessls hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs. Moore reached base with one out on her fourth walk of the game before McBroom connected on seventh home run of the season. Cruz was up next and left no doubt as she connected on her eighth of the year and 31stof her career followed by Vessels' sixth dinger of the year.
Cruz would add to WT's lead in the top of the seventh with a two RBI double to left center. Grotenhuis led the inning off with her fifth double of the season followed by Moore's fifth walk of the game. The runners would advance a base on wild pitch before coming around to score on Cruz's double to the gap to make it 10-4 in favor of the visitors. ENMU would get three runs back in the bottom half of the inning on a Jennifer McElroy home run but Miranda Martinez would record three straight outs to hand WT their 32ndconsecutive win over ENMU.
Starkey (11-4) was credited with the victory going six innings allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Martinez pitched one inning in relief allowing three runs (three earned) on three this with a walk and strikeout.
