LUBBOCK, Texas – West Texas A&M went undefeated at the LCU Invitational with the help of a seven-run inning to come back to defeat Nebraska-Kearney before defeating Washburn in a 3-2 thriller. The Lady Buffs move to 4-0 for their best season start since 2018.
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: West Texas A&M 9, Nebraska-Kearney 4
Records: West Texas A&M (3-0), Nebraska-Kearney (1-2)
Location: Lubbock Christian High School in Lubbock, Texas
UNK led off the game with a 1-0 lead after capitalizing on a throwing error followed by a single to left field by Hailey Schaneman to score the run from second. WT leveled the game as
Erica Vessels singled through the left side to score
Gabriella Valforte. After back-to-back singles, the Lady Buffs loaded the bases to bring
Shanna McBroom to the plate. McBroom grounded out to score Vessels for the Lady Buffs to take the go ahead lead.
The Lopers gained the lead in the sixth as UNK led off the inning with a walk before Schaneman hit a two-run homer. A single down the left field line brought another run in for the Lopers.
Madison Johnson answered with her first collegiate home run as she sent one deep to right center to bridge UNK's lead. The Lady Buffs took charge of the game after
Ruby Salzman hit her 26
th career homerun to score
Hailey Neira and McBroom to make it 6-4 in favor of WT. The Lady Buffs added three runs to the board to capture a 9-4 victory.
Kyra Lair (2-0) was rewarded the victory allowing one hit in one complete inning, while Loper's Sarah Handrahan (0-1) was credited with the loss. Johnson and Neira led WT with four hits each while Salzman tallied three RBI and Johnson with two.
THE BASICS
Game 2 Score: West Texas A&M 3, Washburn 2
Records: West Texas A&M (4-0), Washburn (1-2)
Location: Lubbock Christian High School in Lubbock, Texas
Washburn added a run to the board in the second after Kimi Patterson hit a sacrifice fly into foul territory to score the runner from third. A McBroom hit by pitch combined with a single by
Ruby Salzman put runners in scoring position for
Sydney Greeson to tally an RBI single to even the score 1-1 in the third.
After three scoreless innings, the Lady Buffs took a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh to take control of the game on
Alyx Cordell's two-run double. McBroom singled with one out followed a walk from Greeson. The senior shortstop connected for her second double of the round-robin to clear the bases. The Ichabods would not go down without a fight as Ashton Friend hit a solo-shot to left center to bring the score within one. The Lady Buffs would ultimately win as
Kyra Lair recorded her ninth strikeout of the game.
Lair (3-0) picked up the win in the circle for the Lady Buffs allowing just two runs (two earned) on four hits with a season high nine strikeouts in seven complete innings. Raegen Hamm was credited the loss as the junior threw seven innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits. Salzman and Cordell collected two hits each to lead the Lady Buffs while Cordell recorded two RBI.
UP NEXT
WT will host a doubleheader against Oklahoma Panhandle State on Feb. 14 for their home opener at Schaeffer Park game one set for 1 p.m.
