CANYON, Texas – The #5 Buffs of West Texas A&M opened up their Lone Star Conference road series with a win on Friday afternoon as they plated four runs in the top of the eighth inning on their way to a 8-5 victory over the UT Permian Basin Falcons at Roden Field in Odessa, Texas.
 
The Falcons jumped out to an early lead in the home half of the first frame as Ethan Flodstrom singled to center with one out to score Mason Hamlin for the 1-0 advantage. WT responded in the top of the second as a Dylan Fesperman double to left center with no outs moved Kory Schmidt to third followed by a Rodric Black sac fly to right to make it 1-1.
 
Both starting pitchers settled in over the next few innings before the Buffs took their first lead of the afternoon in the top of the sixth, Schmidt started the frame with a single up the middle followed by a Black single down the right field line. Glenn Noronha drew a walk to load the bases with one out followed two batters later by a Landon Gaber two-run single to right for the 3-1 lead.
 
WT added to their lead in the top of the seventh as Ryan Camacho was hit by a pitch with one out followed by a Schmidt double to right to put a pair of runners in scoring position, Camacho would score on a wild pitch with two outs to make it 4-1.
 
The Falcons cut into the lead in the home half of the seventh as Hamlin doubled to left field with one out to drive in Carson Johnson followed later in the inning by a Flodstrom RBI double to right that scored Hamlin to make it 4-3. 
 
The Buffs added some insurance runs in the top of the eighth as Camacho reached on a fielder's choice with one out to score Gaber followed by a three-run blast to left by Schmidt to give WT the 8-3 lead. UTPB used the long ball to cut into the lead in the home half of the frame as Gibrian Pena lifted a two-run shot to right with one out to make it 8-5.
 
Nick Marshall picked up the win (3-2) for the Buffs, allowing two earned runs on four hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in his 7.1 innings of work. Reese Miller was dominant out of the WT bullpen as the righty allowed no hits, walking one and striking out two in the final 1.1 frames for his third save of the year.
 
The Buffs and Falcons continue their series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch of a doubleheader scheduled for Noon at Roden Field.