ODESSA, Texas – The West Texas A&M softball team posted back-to-back shutouts of the UT Permian Basin Falcons on Saturday, winning 7-0 and 13-0. On the day, the Lady Buff pitching staff allowed just three hits on the day. WT improves its overall record to 13-1 overall and 5-0 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
The Lady Buffs look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon with a 12 p.m. first pitch.
 
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: West Texas A&M 7, UT Permian Basin 0
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (7-0); (L) Destini Trahan (0-4)
 
Offense proved hard to come by in the opening innings for both teams as the Lady Buffs and Falcons combined to strand seven runners on base through two innings. WT threatened once again in the third as Diana Murtha walked with two outs. With Madison Johnson up, Murtha swiped second and advanced to third after the throw went into center field. Now with a runner on third, Johnson connected with a two-strike pitch, but the West Texas wind held the ball up for the UTPB center fielder.
 
WT finally broke the scoreless streak in the fifth as Brittni Rufus reached on a bunt single. After stealing second, Emilee Boyer walked. With no outs, Murtha grounded one to second, but the toss to second went wide, allowing Rufus to score from second. Johnson followed the error with a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. The Lady Buffs added two more when Braeland Booth grounded one to short and beat out the throw to score two runs.
 
In the sixth inning, Emily Liskai and Lauren Granger started the inning with back-to-back singles to center before a bunt single from Rufus loaded the bases. With no outs, the Falcons went to the bullpen as Boyer came up to the plate. Boyer sent one back up the middle into center field, scoring two. The Lady Buffs cashed in on Murtha's at bat as the senior lined a ball to short, scoring another run for WT.
 
With a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Buffs turned to Ashley Mandell to lock down the Falcon lineup. Mandell did just that in the sixth to bring WT back to the plate in the seventh. After the Lady Buffs threatened but couldn't score in the seventh, Mandell and the WT defense held the Falcons scoreless in the bottom half of the seventh.


THE BASICS
Game 2 Score: West Texas A&M 13, UT Permian Basin 0 (5 inn.)
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (6-1); (L) Morgan McGaugh (3-3)
 
The Lady Buffs didn't waste any time scoring in game two as Granger singled up the middle followed by a Rufus walk. With two runners on, Boyer grounded a ball to the shortstop, but the Falcon defense couldn't complete the play as WT loaded the bases. A hard grounder off the bat of Murtha went under the glove of the third baseman and skirted into left field. The error allowed Granger and Rufus to sprint home and open the scoring.
 
In the top of the third, the Lady Buffs exploded for six runs on five hits. A Boyer blast to center started the inning before WT loaded the bases with no outs. Guericke walked to bring in Murtha and bring in a new pitcher for UTPB. After the pitching change, Emily Liskai powered a grand slam through the wind. Later in the inning, WT loaded the bases once again where a pair of fielder's choices scored two more runs.
 
In the fourth, a wild pitch scored a run before a bases-loaded walk brought in another run. The Lady Buffs capped off their scoring as Halie Stoneking came around to score on another wild pitch. WT closed out the win with a pair of back-to-back flawless frames.