CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M Buffaloes plated five runs in the opening frame and never looked back on their way to a 22-5 victory over the Yellowjackets of Montana State-Billings in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at Rawlings Field in Pueblo, Colorado.
 
The Buffs jumped out to an early lead in the top of the opening frame as Dylan Fesperman singled to left with the bases loaded and one out to drive in Ryan Johnson followed by an Evan Leibl sac fly to left, WT wasn't done yet as Eddy Savoie singled to right center to plate Will Fuenning followed by a wild pitch to score Fesperman and a Kix Ferrel RBI single for the 5-0 lead.
 
WT used the long ball to add to their lead in the top of the second as Adam Becker started off the frame with a solo homerun off of the scoreboard in right center to make it 6-0. The solo shot was Becker's 26^th of his career in Maroon & White to pass Mike Ohm (1995-98) for fourth on WT's all-time homerun list.
 
The Yellowjackets got on the board in the home half of the fourth inning as James Anderson would reach on an error to start the inning followed by a grounder and a wild pitch for MSUB's first run, Payton Flynn cut into the lead again with a two-run homerun to center with two outs to make it 6-3.
 
Johnson would rope a triple off of the center field wall in the top of the fifth with two outs followed by a balk to score the senior from third for the 7-3 lead. WT added to their lead in the seventh as Bryant Bailey doubled to left field with the bases loaded to drive in a pair followed by a Mike Manetta two-run single, the Buffs weren't done yet as Becker singled thru the left side to drive in two followed by a Fuenning RBI triple for the 14-3 lead.
 
The Jackets cut into the lead in the bottom of the eight as Kaden Kirshenbaum doubled to left center with one out to drive in a run followed by a Bodee Wright sacrifice fly to make it 14-5. WT would answer in the top of the ninth with a Fesperman grand slam down the left field line followed later in the frame by a Glenn Noronha two-run double and a Becker two-run single to make it 22-5.
 
Nick Marshall picked up the win (2-0) on the mound for the Buffs, allowing three unearned runs on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in his 4.0 inning of relief.
 
The Buffs close out their Colorado road trip on Sunday afternoon as they take on the ThunderWolves of CSU-Pueblo with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m. CT at Rawlings Field.