CANYON, Texas – In a battle of two top-10 softball teams, the West Texas A&M Lady Buffs defeated the No. 7 Colorado Christian Cougars 5-4 at Schaeffer Park. The Lady Buffs took a lead in the third before the game ended with a back-and forth-battle.
 
The game went scoreless for the first two innings as Colorado Christian's Kali Crandall and WT's Emilee Boyer battled in the circle. In the top of the third, Gabie McConnell singled with one out. Later in the inning, McConnell stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Cougar's catcher. Boyer helped her cause in the circle when the freshman lined a home run over the wall in left to give the Lady Buffs a 2-0 lead.
 
CCU cut into WT's lead in the bottom of the fourth when the Cougars plated a run. A single with one out by Miki Berg advanced to second when Leah Garcia grounded out to third base. With the runner in scoring position, pinch hitter Samaria Roope lined a single into left. In the next half inning, Ruby Salzman launched a no-doubter home run to restore the two-run advantage.
 
The Lady Buffs added to their lead in the top of the sixth after Madison Johnson started the inning with a single. Following the hit, Malaya Delfin came off the bench to run for Johnson. Delfin advanced into scoring position on a passed ball. With the runner in scoring position, a sacrifice bunt from Gabriella Valforte moved Delfin to third base. Julie Guzman registered an RBI when she laid down a squeeze bunt, scoring Delfin. The Cougars brought the game back within one in the bottom half of the inning when Skyler Dietz drew a two-out walk. The walk kept the inning alive for Sami Edward's to send a home run out to right field.
 
Entering the final inning, a leadoff triple from Brittni Rufus put a runner on for the Lady Buffs. McConnell wasted no time in bringing Rufus in as the freshman ripped a single into left field on the first pitch of her at bat. The run in the seventh proved to be the difference as Savannah Tourville hit a leadoff home run for CCU in the bottom of the seventh. Senior pitcher Kyra Lair didn't let the long ball rattle her as she struck out the next two hitters. On the first pitch of Berg's at bat, Lair forced a pop fly into foul territory where McConnell secured the out.
 
The Lady Buffs stay in the winner's bracket where they will face off against the winner of the loser's bracket at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.