TYLER, Texas – The #17 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M took a one-run lead to the home half of the eighth inning on Friday night before falling to the #11 UT Tyler Patriots, 3-2 to snap a five-game win streak in the opening game of a Lone Star Conference weekend series at Irwin Field in Tyler, Texas.
 
The Buffs started off the scoring early in the top of the first inning as Reese Patterson grounded out to second base with one out to score Cade Engle for the 1-0 lead. Eric Ortiz started off the second with a double to left field followed by the junior stealing third, the Patriots would force a grounder back to the mound followed by a Kason Haggard infield single before Engle singled to left to score Ortiz to make it 2-0.
 
UTT got on the board in the home half of the fourth as Cade Watson grounded out to Izaiah Madrid at short to score Jordan Gochenour before Mathieu Gauthier forced a flyout to center to end the inning with WT leading 2-1.
 
The Patriots looked to cut into the lead in the home half of the seventh as they put runners on first and second with one out before Gauthier forced a double-play ball to Haggard at second who tagged the runner and tossed to Patterson at first to end the threat.
 
Riley Jepson started the bottom of the eight with a double to the gap in left center followed by a hit-by-pitch to chase Gauthier from the mound, the Patriots would load the bases on an errant throw by the Buffs followed by a strikeout before Kyle McShaffry singling to center to tie the game. Watson would single up the middle to give UTT their first lead of the night before Chris Rodriguez entered from the bullpen and got two outs with the bases loaded to send the game to the ninth.
 
The Buffs wouldn't go down without a fight as Keone Givens single thru the right side with one out in the ninth followed by Ryan Johnson being hit by a pitch, the Patriots would pick up the win in the opener with a strikeout and groundout for the 3-2 victory.
 
Gauthier picked up the loss (3-2) on the mound for the Buffs, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with six walks and nine strikeouts in his 7.0+ innings of work. 
 
The Buffs and Patriots continue their series on Saturday night with first pitch of game two scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Irwin Field.