CANYON, Texas – In a game that saw a combined 44 runs on 45 hits the #17 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M fell to the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas, 24-20 during a Super Bowl Sunday slugfest at Wilder Park in Canyon during Lone Star Conference action.
 
The Javelinas got on the board in the top of the first inning as Steven Bonuz lifted a two-run homerun to right center field with two outs for the early advantage. 
 
The Buffs responded in the home half of the frame with RBI singles from Will Fuenning and Evan Leibl followed by a two-run single up the middle by Kory Schmidt and an RBI single to right center for the 5-2 lead, TAMUK made a move to the bullpen followed by a Cameron Loy two-run single up the middle for the 7-2 lead.
 
TAMUK answered in the top of the second with a Michael Cervantez RBI ground-rule double followed by a Shelby Becker sac fly and a Nick Wolff RBI double to left to cut the lead to 7-5. The Javelinas cut into the lead again in the third as Cervantes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded followed by a Hayden Johnson grand slam to right center for the 10-7 lead.
 
The Buffs cut into the lead in the home half with solo homeruns from Schmidt and Patrick Donovan before the Hogs answered with a Jacob Rosales three-run homerun to right field and a WT error that led to two more runs and a 15-9 lead. 
 
WT responded in the home half of the fourth with an Evan Leibl RBI double down the left field line to plate Becker. TAMUK would add to their lead in the top of the fifth with a grand slam to left center with one out followed later in the frame by RBI singles from Bonuz and Kramer to run the lead to 21-10.
 
The back and forth continued in the bottom of the fifth as Cam Loy walked with the bases loaded followed by a wild pitch with no outs to move runners to second and third, Johnson lifted a sac fly to left to make it 21-13. TAMUK added to their lead again in the seventh on a Ramsey Amador sac fly to center with one out followed by a pair of RBI singles to make it 24-13.
 
The Buffs wouldn't go down without a fight as Becker doubled to the gap in right center to drive in a pair followed by a two-run long ball the other way by Fuenning to keep the game alive at 24.17. WT cut into the lead again in the ninth on an errant Javelina throw that plated two followed by a Schmidt fielder's choice RBI to make it 24-20.
 
Douglas Rojas picked up the loss (0-1) on the mound for the Buffs, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts during his 2.2 innings of work.
 
The Buffs hit the road for Lone Star Conference action next weekend as they head to Austin, Texas for a four-game series against the St. Edward's Hilltoppers beginning on Friday at 1 p.m. at Lucian-Hamilton Field.