CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M Buffaloes dropped a 10-inning thriller to start the afternoon before responding in the nightcap to split a Saturday Lone Star Conference doubleheader with the St. Mary's Rattlers at Wilder Park in Canyon, Texas.
 
The Buffs and Rattlers conclude their series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch of the series finale set for 1:00 p.m. in Canyon.
 
GAME ONE
The Rattlers got on the board in the top of the second inning as Jake Elizondo singled to right field with the bases loaded and no outs to drive in Brandon Broughton followed later in the frame by a two-run single by Ryan McGowen for the early 3-0 lead.
 
The Buffs responded in the home half of the fourth inning as Will Fuenning doubled to the gap in left center to drive in Ryan Johnson followed later in the frame by an Eddy Savoie RBI groundout that made it 3-2. 
 
WT manufactured a run in the bottom of the sixth as Ryan Johnson started the frame with a single up the middle followed by a wild pitch and a passed ball, Adam Becker would draw a walk followed two batters later by a sac fly to center by Savoie to make it 3-3. 
 
The Rattlers retook the lead again in the top of the 10^th inning as they took advantage of a Buffalo error with one out as Jacob King scored from third for the 4-3 lead. 
 
Tyler Cornett picked up the loss (1-2), allowing one unearned run on three hits with no walks and no strikeouts in his 2.0 inning of relief.
 
GAME TWO
St. Mary's jumped out to an early lead in the nightcap as Broughton doubled down the left field line to drive in Jake Mares for the 1-0 lead. The Buffs tied it up in the bottom of the second as Savoie scored from third on a wild pitch with the bases loaded followed by a Dave Janssen sac fly to center that plated Bryant Bailey for the 2-0 lead.
 
WT added to their lead in the fourth as an errant Rattler throw on a sacrifice bunt by Bryant Bailey plated Savoie and Dylan Fesperman followed later in the frame by Becker being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, WT wasn't done yet as Fuenning singled up the middle to drive in a pair for the 7-1 lead.
 
The Rattlers cut into the lead in the top of the sixth as Jake Elizondo singled to right field to plate Easton Parrish followed by an RBI fielder's choice groundout from Ryan Romine to make it 7-3. 
 
Maddux Hoaglund picked up the win (1-2) for the Buffs, allowing three earned runs on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts in his 6.0 innings of work.