TYLER, Texas – The West Texas A&M softball team held off the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds to advance in the Lone Star Conference tournament. The Lady Buffs moved their record to 47-5 overall with the 3-2 victory over the Greyhounds.

 
WT threatened to score in the bottom of the second inning when Madison Johnson started the inning with a walk. Johnson moved up to third when Gabriella Valforte singled down the right field line. During Julie Guzman's at bat, Valforte took off for second and drew a throw down. Pinch runner Ruby Moore attempted to steal home on the play, but the Greyhound defense shut down the WT scoring opportunity to keep the game tied.
 
In the third inning, ENMU looked to have stolen the momentum when Valeria Contreras started the inning with a double. After a groundout, Aylene Lucero drew a walk to put two runners on base. The traffic on the base paths didn't faze Emilee Boyer as the Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year as she retired the next two batters to escape the inning.
 
The Lady Buffs broke into the scoring column in the third when they took a one-run lead. Brittni Rufus started the inning after reaching first on a hit by pitch. Rufus used her speed to steal second during Boyer's at bat, placing a runner in scoring position. Boyer eventually walked to bring up Diana Murtha. On a 3-1 pitch, Murtha lined a ball to third where the Greyhound defender saw it glance off a glove and go down the line, scoring Rufus easily.
 
WT added to its lead an inning later when Valforte reached on an error to start the inning. Guzman followed with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt to move Valforte to second. With two outs, Rufus pulled a ball down the line, allowing Valforte to score and Rufus to motor to third. Gabie McConnelll didn't waste much time to bring Rufus in as the Lady Buffs' second baseman lined a ball into left field, pushing the WT lead to 3-0.
 
In the sixth, ENMU brought the game within reach with a pair of runs. A one-out walk led to a throwing error on a bunt, placing two runners on base. Another WT error loaded the bases for the Greyhounds before Emma Southerland reached on a fielder's choice. On the attempt to get the runner out at second, the throw was offline and allowed another ENMU runner to come home. After the errors, Kyra Lair entered the game from the bullpen. Lair registered two huge strikeouts to strand two Greyhounds on the bases.
 
Lair carried her momentum into the seventh inning when she sat the ENMU lineup down to end the game. Emilee Boyer received the win (15-2) after pitching 5.1 innings with eight strikeouts, scattering two hits and four walks. Boyer gave up two runs, both of which were unearned. Lair recorded the save after pitching 1.2 hitless innings with three strikeouts.
 
The Lady Buffs advance to the Lone Star Conference semifinals where they will play the winner of Oklahoma Christian and Texas A&M-Kingsville at 4 p.m.