LOS LUNAS, N.M. – The West Texas A&M Lady Buffs used a pair of run-rule victories to sweep past Fort Lewis and CSU Pueblo on Sunday at the South Central Regional Challenge in Los Lunas, N.M. The Lady Buffs shut out the Skyhawks 9-0 in five innings before powering their way past the ThunderWolves, 12-4.
 
WT (4-0) returns to the friendly confines of Schaeffer Park where the Lady Buffs host the 2023 WT Invitational. The Lady Buffs open their home tournament with a 1:30 p.m. game against Colorado Mesa.
 
THE BASICS
Game 3 Score: West Texas A&M 9, Fort Lewis 0
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (2-0); (L) Alex Tenorio (0-1)
 
Ruby Salzman continued her hot weekend by blasting a solo home run to center field, giving the Lady Buffs an early 1-0 lead. The first-inning home run was Salzman's 50th career homerun. In the bottom of the first, Heidi Vortherms needed just five pitches to retire the Skyhawks. Fort Lewis looked as if it had held the Lady Buffs off score board, but an error kept WT's batting order at the plate.
 
In the circle, Vortherms continued to shut down the Fort Lewis lineup as she ended the second inning with back-to-back strikeouts. Malaya Delfin, who entered as a pinch runner, moved to third on a fielder's choice, setting up a Gabriella Valforte sacrifice fly to right field. The next batter, Julie Guzman, sent her second home run of the season out of the park, making the score 5-0.  
 
In the fifth inning, the WT put the game out of reach by plating four runs. Salzman started the inning off with an opposite-field blast for her second home run of the game. The Lady Buffs used the momentum gained by Salzman's home run with a three straight hits by Diana Murtha, Valforte, and Julie Guzman. After a fielder's choice by Gabie McConnell moved Guzman to third, Madison Johnson doubled in WT's final run of the afternoon.
 
Vortherms was lights out as the sophomore pitched four innings, recorded six strikeouts, and allowed just one hit in the win.
 
THE BASICS
Game 4 Score: West Texas A&M 12, CSU Pueblo 4
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (2-0); (L) Jade Trujillo (0-1)
 
The Lady Buffs wasted no time jumping out in front of the ThunderWolves as Johnson started the game with a single. After a Salzman pop out, Emilee Boyer launched her second home run of the season to left field, putting WT up 2-0. Following the home run, Murtha and Valforte registered back-to-back singles. With two outs, Guzman laced an RBI single into center field, scoring Murtha. In the bottom half of the inning, CSU Pueblo cut into the Lady Buff lead after a throwing error and an RBI single, bringing the score to 3-2 in favor of WT.
 
In the second, Shyanne Sanchez doubled to center before Johnson reached base on a hit by pitch. Sanchez came around to score on Salzman's RBI double to left center, extending the lead to 4-2. After hitting a home run in her first at-bat, Boyer cleared the opposite field fence to bring in Johnson and Salzman. After a strikeout, Megan Guericke hit her first home run of the season to make the lead 8-2. A pitching change by the Thunderwolves allowed CSU Pueblo to retire the WT order.
 
 The ThunderWolves looked to have kept the Lady Buffs off the board in the third, but another three-run home run by Boyer spoiled CSU Pueblo's hopes. The inning started with a Riley Stiner single before Delfin pinch ran for her. With two outs, Salzman walked and stole second to set up Boyer's blast. The ThunderWolves were able to string together hits and advance runners in the bottom of the third inning, scoring two. After three innings of play, the Lady Buffs sat firmly in control with an 11-4 lead. The Lady Buffs found the game-deciding run in the top of the fifth inning as Salzman came around to score on a passed ball, enacting the eight-run mercy rule. In the bottom of the fifth, WT held CSU Pueblo quiet to take the victory.