SAN ANTONIO – The Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M traveled took both games of a Friday doubleheader with the Rattlers of St. Mary's. The Lady Buffs took game one in decisive fashion with an 8-2 win before outlasting the Rattlers in game two, 7-4.
 
WT and St. Mary's finish the three-game series at 1 p.m. tomorrow with the Lady Buffs looking for the sweep.
 
THE BASICS
Game 34 Score: West Texas A&M 8, St. Mary's 2
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer(11-2); (L) Jadyn Abrego (4-4)
 
The Lady Buffs put their potent offense on display in the first inning as each batter came to the plate. Gabie McConnell started the big inning as the freshman doubled to left on the second pitch of the game. On the very next pitch, Ruby Salzman laced a single into left. Salzman advanced to second on the throw back to the circle, but the Rattlers' throw to catch Salzman advancing was off the mark and brought home McConnell. With one out, Diana Murtha roped a double into the right-center gap, bringing home pinch runner, Malaya Delfin. Madison Johnson reached on a St. Mary's error before being lifted for Ruby Moore to pinch run. Moore and Nikki Warren, pinch running for Murtha, executed a double steal to put WT up by three. Gabriella Valforte capped the scoring in the inning when she singled into right field to score Moore from second base.
 
In the second inning, McConnell hit her second double of the game to give the Lady Buffs a base runner. McConnell came around to score as Salzman crushed a home run to dead center on the first pitch of her at bat. Murtha extended the advantage to seven runs when she hit a
solo shot, placing it in the same spot as Salzman's home run earlier in the inning.
 
St. Mary's scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the third. A single and an error put Lauren Gonzales on second base. Gonzales then stole third base and came home on an errant throw to third. The Lady Buffs answered the Rattlers' run with a run of their own in the top of the fourth. McConnell and Salzman continued their powerful one-two punch at the top of the order when McConnell singled and Salzman doubled to left.
 
St. Mary's put their second run on the score board after Gonzales singled once more. Another stolen base for Gonzales put her in scoring position. A pair of groundouts advanced Gonzales to third and eventually scored her.
 
Emilee Boyer went the distance in the win, pitching seven innings, scattering two hits, and allowing just one earned run.
 
THE BASICS
Game 35 Score: West Texas A&M 8, St. Mary's 4
Pitching: (W) Kyra Lair (11-1); (L) Catalina Cavazos (10-6)
 
WT continued to stay hot at the plate in the second inning as McConnell started the game off with a single. McConnell advanced to second on a stolen base and advanced to third on a passed ball. With one out in the inning, Boyer crushed a ball over the left-field wall.
 
In the second, four straight singles turned into another Lady Buff run. Brittni Rufus started the hit parade and advanced to second on a wild pitch. McConnell brought Rufus immediately after Rufus' single.
 
WT doubled its advantage in the third when Madison Johnson started the inning with a double. A pair of outs looked to give St. Mary's a way out of the inning, but Lauren Granger singled to center to plate a run. Back-to-back singles by Rufus and McConnell for the second inning in a row scored two more.
 
St. Mary's brought the game within striking distance in the bottom of the third inning. A double to start the home half came around to score after two WT errors. The Rattlers brought the Lady Buff lead down to two when a double preceded a home run by Jamison Holder.
 
In the fourth, WT scored one run back after a Salzman walk and Boyer double off the wall started the inning. Murtha moved Boyer up and scored Salzman as the senior lifted a ball to right field for a sacrifice fly.
 
Both teams went scoreless the next two innings until the Lady Buffs manufactured a run in the top of the seventh.
 
Kyra Lair registered the win after pitching 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just a single hit in that time.