LUBBOCK, Texas – The 12^th-ranked West Texas A&M softball team secured another Lone Star Conference series victory with a pair of wins against No. 16 Lubbock Christian. The Lady Buffs (42-5, 33-5 LSC) held off a Lady Chaps (36-13, 26-12 LSC) comeback to take game one, 6-5. Game two was all WT as the Lady Buffs slugged four home runs to secure the LSC series 12-2 in five innings.
 
The Lady Buffs look to complete a sweep of the Lady Chaps tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Maner Park.
 
THE BASICS
Game 46 Score: No. 12 West Texas A&M 6, No. 16 Lubbock Christian 5
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (15-2); (L) Taylor Franco (14-8); (S) Kyra Lair (3)
 
The Lady Buffs got on the board early as Gabie McConnell and Ruby Salzman drew walks to start the game. The free baserunners for WT came around to score when Emilee Boyer laced a single into the left-center gap. Diana Murtha followed Boyer's single with a walk of her own to put runners on first and second. After a fielder's choice Gabriella Valforte sent a high bouncing ball over the third baseman to bring home another run. With two outs and two runners on, Braeland Booth connected with a line drive to center field, scoring two more for WT. In the home half of the inning, the Lady Chaps got two back on a two-run home run by Kasey Flores.
 
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Buffs added to their lead in the fourth. LCU looked to have stranded a WT base runner, but McConnell beat the throw to first on what would have been an inning-ending double play. With two outs, Salzman lined a ball into right field where the defender couldn't hang on. Salzman got caught trying to advance to third but stalled long enough for McConnell to come around from first.
 
LCU made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth as Amanda Valdiviezo sent a solo shot out of the park to center field. A base hit followed the home run and forced a WT pitching change in the inning. The Lady Chaps brought the game within one when Ally Oyanguren sent a ball over the fence. Kyra Lair settled in after the home run as the senior retired the next two hitters of the inning. In the seventh, Lair struck out the side to give the Lady Buffs a 6-5 win.
 
THE BASICS
Game 47 Score: No. 12 West Texas A&M 12, No. 16 Lubbock Christian 2
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (6-1); (L) Maxine Valdez (15-3)
 
WT started game two with an exclamation point as McConnell lined the first pitch of the game into the gap for a double. After a Salzman walk, Boyer ripped a single right back up the middle to score McConnell. After another walk for Murtha loaded the bases with no outs, Madison Johnson popped out in the infield. The Lady Buffs tacked on another run as Valforte lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.
 
In the second inning, WT picked up right where it left off as Rufus started the inning with a single. A sacrifice bunt from McConnell pushed Rufus into scoring position where Salzman would reach on an error, sending Rufus to third. The Lady Buffs wasted no time bringing in the runs as Boyer connected with her 14th home run of the season. A second walk in the game for Murtha set up Johnson's deep fly to push the WT advantage to 7-0.
 
The Lady Buffs added to their lead in the third when Shyanne Sanchez led off the inning with a solo shot to left-center field. After an out, McConnell reached on a single and later stole second base. Salzman brought home the WT second baseman when she doubled to left field.
 
The Lady Buffs brought home three more in the top of the fourth when Murtha started the inning with a double off the wall in center. Johnson followed Murtha with her second two-run home run of the game, extending the lead to 11-0. After the home run, Valforte beat out a single to third base and advanced on Maddie Geidel's groundout. As Sanchez grounded out to short, Valforte advanced to third where the throw went wide and brought Valforte in to score.