CANYON, Texas – The #11 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M used a pair of long balls and a great relief performance from Chris Rodriguez as they handed the UT Permian Basin Falcons a 14-8 defeat in game two of the weekend Lone Star Conference series at Wilder Park.
 
The Falcons got on the board in the top of the second as Jay Desoto lifted a two-run homerun to left field with one out followed by three more runs on three total hits along with a WT error for the 5-0 lead. WT cut into the lead in the third as Kyle Moos went first to third on a failed pickoff attempt followed by a Cade Engle RBI single to make it 5-1. 
 
The Buffs threatened in the fourth with runners on second and third with no outs followed later in the frame by an errant Falcon throw that plated a pair to cut the lead to 5-3. Permian looked to respond int he top of the fifth as they chased Zach Dixon from the with a pair in scoring position but Cooper Harris entered from the bullpen with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.
 
Eric Ortiz doubled to right center to start the home half followed by a passed ball and an Engle RBI single up the middle, Engle stole second followed by a Keone Givens double to center to make it 5-5. WT wasn't done yet as Kennedy Badgett crushed a two-run bomb to left field to score Givens and give Buffs their first lead of the game at 7-5.
 
UTPB responded in the top of the sixth with an Oswaldo Godina RBI single to center field with one out to force a pitching change. The Falcons would load the bases with a walk followed by a Devin Ferrari two-run double to right at 8-7, another walk loaded the bases and forced a call to the pen as Rodriguez entered and registered a pair of huge strikeouts to end the frame.
 
The Buffs answered again in the sixth as a Jonah Gonzales tripled to right center with two outs to score Ortiz and Kyle Moos for the 9-8 lead. WT added to their lead in the seventh as Abel Pena singled thru the left side to score Badgett followed by a three-run blast by Ortiz to make it 13-8. Badgett drove in another run in the eighth with a sac fly for the 14-8 victory.
 
Rodriguez picked up the win (1-0) on the mound for the Buffs, allowing no runs on no hits with two walks and five strikeouts in his 2.2 innings of relief.