CANYON, Texas – The #13 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M will need to win a series finale to salvage a Lone Star Conference split following Saturday's doubleheader action at Wilder Park in Canyon against the St. Edward's Hilltoppers.
 
The Buffs and Hilltoppers will close out the series on Sunday morning with first pitch now scheduled for 11 a.m. due to the threat in inclement weather in the area.
 
GAME ONE
Eric Ortiz broke the pitcher's duel and put the Buffs on the board in the home half of the fourth inning as the Puerto Rico product lifted a two-run homerun the other way down the left field line for the 2-0 lead.
 
That's all the lead that Jack Eagan would need as the reigning NCBWA South Central Region Pitcher of the Week moved to 6-2 on the year, allowing no runs on just two hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in the complete game shutout.
 
GAME TWO
WT used the long ball to get on the board again in the top of the first frame as Ryan Johnson jumped on a fastball and lifted a solo homerun to left center field for the 1-0 lead. The Buffs added to their lead in the third as Eddy Savoie scored from third on a wild pitch with one out followed by an SEU error with two outs to score Johnson to make it 3-0.
 
The Toppers plated their first runs of the day in the top of the fourth inning as Stacey Bailey singled to left field with two outs to drive in Morgan Allen followed later in the frame by a wild pitch to score Bailey, the Hilltoppers would load the bases before Brennan Berdon entered from the pen and stranded three with a strikeout to keep it at 3-2.
 
St. Edward's tied up the game in the fifth as Kyler Kerlin grounded out to Savoie at second to score Hunter Connor to make it 3-3. The Buffs retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Clay Artho singled thru the left side with the bases loaded and two outs to drive in a pair for the 5-3 advantage.
 
The Toppers cut into the lead again in the sixth as Eric Worden singled thru the left side with one out to drive in Bailey before Reese Miller forced a double play ball to end the frame at 5-4. SEU tied up the game in the top of the seventh on a Jake Hahn RBI single to left field with two outs followed by a Cullen Ainsworth three-run homerun to left for the 8-5 lead.
 
Miller picked up the loss (1-1) for the Buffs, allowing five earned runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in his 1.2 inning of relief.