TYLER, Texas – The Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M saw their winning streak come to an end at the hand of No. 4 UT Tyler on Friday night. The Patriots took both contests at Suddenlink Field, winning game one 5-2 before coming back to defeat the Lady Buffs 6-5 in the night cap.
 
The Lady Buffs (15-2, 6-2 LSC) and Patriots (17-3, 9-2) finish the three-game set tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
THE BASICS
Game 16 Score: UT Tyler 5, West Texas A&M 2
Pitching: (W) Tatum Goff (11-0); (L) Kyra Lair (4-1)
 
The Lady Buffs threatened to score in the opening frame but couldn't bring in the runners on base. In the bottom half of the inning, the Patriots took advantage of a leadoff walk, setting up a two-out two-run home run.
 
It didn't take WT long to match UT Tyler on the score board. In the top of the next inning, Lauren Granger reached on an error before Brittni Rufus dropped a single into left field. In the next at-bat, Madison Johnson tied the game with one swing of the bat, scorching a line drive off the wall in left field.
 
After a scoreless third, the Patriots regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. An error to start the UT Tyler order moved up on a sacrifice bunt. The Patriots brought the runner in on a line-drive single into right field with one out. After gathering the ball in the outfield, Julie Guzman's throw to the plate came just after the runner slid in, giving UT Tyler the lead. The Patriots brought another run across on passed ball.
 
The Lady Buffs placed runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth, but the UT Tyler pitching staff settled in to record the final out needed. The Patriots carried their momentum into the bottom of the inning as the hosts loaded the bases and chased Kyra Lair out of the game. Coming out of the bullpen, Emilee Wilson escaped the jam and brought WT back to the plate.
 
UT Tyler plated another run in the sixth to put itself up 5-2. Despite a leadoff hit by Gabie McConnell in the top of the seventh, the Lady Buffs couldn't mount a comeback and suffered their first loss of the season.
 
THE BASICS
Game 17 Score: UT Tyler 6, West Texas A&M 5
Pitching: (W) Shea O'Leary (3-3); (L) Emilee Boyer (6-1)
 
After WT left a pair of runners on in the top of the first, the Patriots wasted no time in taking the lead. A pair of walks and a fielder's choice led to a pair of singles, giving UT Tyler a three-run lead. The Lady Buffs answered the Patriots' three runs with a pair of home runs by Guzman and Braeland Booth in the top of the second. The one-run game held up until the top of the fifth inning.
 
After a groundout to start the top half of the inning, Ruby Salzman connected with her 55^th career home run in Maroon & White, sending the ball onto the home run porch in right field. Emilee Boyer followed up Salzman's home run with a solo blast of her own, sending a no-doubter out of Suddenlink Field. Diana Murtha made it three straight hits as the senior beat out a ground ball hit to shortstop. Nikki Warren, pinch-running for Murtha, stole second and moved to third on John's infield single. On the next play, Johnson stole second and drew a throw which allowed Warren to come home and score.
 
WT held UT Tyler scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, going quietly itself in the top of the sixth. The Patriots strung together a comeback in the bottom of the sixth which started with a walk. A single and a line out set up a single on the left-field line, scoring a run. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and brought in the game-tying run. The Patriots then plated the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
 
The Lady Buffs tried to build momentum in the seventh but couldn't string hits together, falling to UT Tyler in a closely contested game.