CANYON, Texas – The #15 Buffaloes connected on seven homeruns on Saturday afternoon as they eliminated St. Edward's and advanced to the 2022 Lone Star Conference Baseball Championships at Foster Field in San Angelo, Texas.
 
The elimination game resumed following last night's lightning delays as the contest began with Buffs on first and second and one out with a 1-2 count to Adam Becker, the junior gave WT the lead with a three-run bomb to center while tying the program's single-season homerun mark with his 19th. WT wasn't done yet as Eric Ortiz crushed a two-run shot to right center to make it 5-0.
 
WT added to their lead in the third with six runs on four hits as Bryant Bailey drew a bases loaded RBI walk followed by a Clay Artho single thru the left side to score Will Fuenning, Eddy Savoie singled to right center to drive in a pair followed by a Ryan Johnson two-run double off of the right center field wall for the 11-0 lead.
 
The Buffs used the long ball to extend their lead in the fourth as Ortiz crushed a three-run shot over the batter's eye in center field followed by solo homeruns from Johnson and Fuenning in the fifth to make it 16-0. WT added to their lead in the sixth as Savoie singled to center to plate Bailey followed by a Johnson RBI single up the middle, the Buffs would load the bases with one out before Becker cleared them with a towering grand slam to left center to become WT's new single-season homerun leader with 20.
 
The Toppers got on the board in the sixth as Eric Worden bounced a ground-rule RBI double into the WT bullpen followed by a three-run Davis Drewek homerun to left center. SEU committed the game's first error with two outs in the seventh as Kix Ferrel scores from first on a misplayed ball in the outfield followed by a two-run Zach Kaminkow big fly to make it 25-4.
 
St. Edward's cut into the lead in the home half with a Chase Cos RBI groundout to third. The Buffs would add their final two runs in the eighth as Mike Manetta doubled to the gap in left center to score Bailey followed by a Johnson RBI single up the middle that plated Artho for the 27-5 win.
 
Isaac Keehn picked up the win (3-10 for the Buffs, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits with three walks and four strikeouts in his 7.0 innings of work. Ben Crist tossed the final two frames for WT as the righty allowed just one hit with a strikeout.
 
WT advanced to the Lone Star Conference Finals as they will take on #6 Angelo State this afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. at Foster Field. The Buffs will need to defeat the Rams twice as Sunday's if necessary finale is set for 11 a.m. in San Angelo.