CANYON, Texas – Sophomore Madison Johnson hit the West Texas A&M's softball program's 80^th grand slam on Saturday night as No. 5 Lady Buffs registered a pair of shutouts of Adams State and Fort Lewis on the opening day of the annual WT Invitational tournament in Canyon.
 
THE BASICS
Game 9 Score: #5 West Texas A&M 8, Adams State 0
Records:  West Texas A&M 7-2, Adams State 2-4
Location: Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas
Pitching: (W) Halle Lytal (1-0); (L) Taylor Sandoval (1-1)
 
Brittni Rufus led off the game with a single as the sophomore speedster beat out a throw to first from the Grizzlies third baseman before advancing on a passed ball and stealing third.  The Mansfield, Texas product opened scoring as she came across the plate on a grounder to the second baseman.  
 
Megan Guericke walked before Diana Murtha singled to load the bases.  A batter later sophomore Madison Johnson recorded the program's 80^th grand slam as she cleared the bases with her 10^th career home run off the left field, taking a 5-0 lead in the process. 
 
The Grizzlies held the Lady Buffs in the second until Diana Murtha ended the drought, sending one deep and out into right center.  In the fourth, Guericke laid down a sacrifice bunt to the mound to bring home Rufus.  
 
The Lady Buffs secured the final run on a passed ball before shutting down the Skyhawks 1-2-3 to seal the shutout victory.
 
Halle Lytal, Emilee Wilson and Emma Parrish combined for for the two-hitter shutout as Lytal was rewarded the win on the mound to move to 1-0.  Taylor Sandoval was credited the loss allowing six runs (six earned) on five hits while Kaitlyn Jackson gave up four hits for two runs (one earned).  Three Lady Buffs recorded two hits in the matchup led by Johnson with four RBI.
 
THE BASICS
Game 10 Score: #5 West Texas A&M 9, Fort Lewis 0 
Records:  West Texas A&M 8-2, Fort Lewis 0-6
Location: Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (4-1); (L) Amiee Shanks (0-2)
 
After shutting down the Skyhawks 1-2-3, Brittni Rufus recorded lead off hit for the second time of the day after she tripled down the left field line.  Ruby Salzman brought rufus in with her own shot into left before the Northridge, Calif. product scored on a hit by Diana Murtha to take a 2-0 lead. 


Murtha doubled the Lady Buffs lead in the third when she sent her second home run of the day into deep centerfield to score Megan Guericke after she walked.  Madison Johnson's sacrifice fly into right field added another run to the board.
 
WT posted a four-run inning in the fourth as Salzman doubled into left before the Lady Buffs capitalized on a wild pitch to score two.  Sydney Greeson's double led to the final run that brought Murtha in from second.  
 
In the top of the fifth, Jaden Blaise Redus' single down the right field line snapped the Lady Buffs no hitter but three consecutive outs secured the second shutout victory over the Skyhawks this season.  
 
Heidi Vortherms (4-1) earned the victory on the mound with two strikeouts through three complete innings while Amiee Shanks moved to 0-2 on the season allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits, and one walk, strikeout, wild pitch and hit by pitch. 
 
UP NEXT
A schedule change was implemented for Saturday's schedule with all games pushed back an hour.  The Lady Buffs return to Schaeffer Park for another matchup with Fort Lewis at 3:30 p.m. followed by a game against Northern State at 7:30 p.m.  All game times are subject to change due to delays.