CANYON, Texas – The #4 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M started off their Hill Country road trip in style on Friday night as they opened up a Lone Star Conference series with a 10-4 victory over the St. Mary's Rattlers at Dickson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.
WT started the scoring in the top of the third as
Adam Becker doubled off of the left field wall to drive in
Ryan Johnson followed by a
Will Fuenning sac fly to right field that scored
Kennedy Badgett.
Nollan Koon added to the WT lead with an RBI single to right to score Becker followed by a
Paul Wittmann RBI walk with the bases loaded for the 4-0 lead.
The Rattlers got on the board in the home half of the third as Clay Bradford singled to right center with one out to drive in Easton Parrish followed by a WT error on a potential inning-ending double play ball that led to a Brandon Broughton RBI single up the middle. Ryan McGowen lifted a sac fly to center with the bases loaded and one out to score Rudy Solis followed by a Jake Elizondo bloop single to tie the game at 4-4.
The Buffs retook the lead in the fifth as
Eric Ortiz scored from third on a wild pitch with one out followed by a Savoie RBI single to right that plated
Mike Manetta and a Johnson RBI sac fly to right that score Wittmann to make it 7-4.
WT added to their lead in the seventh with a Wittman RBI safety squeeze to score
Izaiah Madrid for the 8-4 lead. The Buffs added an insurance run in the eighth as Becker connected on his ninth long ball of the season, this time a solo shot to left center for the 9-4 lead. The Buffs weren't done yet as they took advantage of a Rattler error with two outs to make it 10-4.
Nick Marshall moved to 7-0 on the mound for the Buffs, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in his six innings of work.
Chris Rodriguez claimed his third save of the season as the El Paso product allowed just two hits over the final three frames as the junior walked one to go along with one strikeout.
The Buffs and Rattlers continue their series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch of a doubleheader scheduled for 2 p.m. in San Antonio.
