KINGSVILLE, Texas – A Brittni Rufus triple in the top of the sixth inning gave the West Texas A&M softball team a lead it wouldn't relinquish in a 7-4 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sunday. The Lady Buffs improved to 27-3 overall and 19-2 in Lone Star Conference play.

 
After a pair of quick outs in the bottom of the first inning, Texas A&M-Kingsville recorded the first hit of the game with a single to left. After the base hit, the Javelinas showed discipline at the plate, forcing three consecutive walks from Emilee Boyer. The third of those walks brought in a run to give TAMUK an early one-run lead. Boyer escaped the jam with a pop out to third.
 
The Javelinas added to their lead an inning later as the TAMUK leadoff hitter drew a walk. After a fielder's choice, a throwing error allowed another runner to reach with one out. A double down the line cleared the bases for the Javelinas and brought Ashley Mandell in to pitch. With two outs, the Javelinas loaded the bases once again, but Mandell got out of the situation with a fly out to center.
 
WT got a run back in the top of the third as Lauren Granger lifted a solo shot with one out to cut the lead down to 3-1. The Lady Buffs couldn't string together hits after the home run as the Javelinas retired the next two batters.
 
WT cut into the lead once again in the top of the fourth as back-to-back singles from Diana Murtha and Madison Johnson started the inning. On a 2-0 count, Gabriella Valforte lined a single right back up the middle, allowing Murtha to come in and score. Heaven Moreno followed the RBI single with an infield single of her own to load the bases with no outs. WT took full advantage of the situation as Braeland Booth doubled off the left-field wall to score two runs and give the Lady Buffs their first lead of the day. Tatem Pendergraft walked on four pitches, but TAMUK turned a 5-2 double play to put itself in position to get out of the inning.
 
The Javelinas tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when a single and a hit-by-pitch put a pair of runners on with one out. A double brought home the tying run, but a quick reaction by the Lady Buff defense kept TAMUK from scoring a second run.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, WT regained the lead as a one-out single from Pendergraft advanced to second when the freshman stole second. The move into scoring position proved to be huge as Rufus lined a triple into the left-center gap. Rufus' triple held the scoring until the top of the seventh where the Lady Buffs added insurance runs.
 
In its last at bat of the game, WT scored a pair of runs on a hit and two errors. A pair of fielder's choices put a Valforte on first with one out before Valforte advanced to second on a wild pitch. A Moreno double to center field brought home Valforte and pushed the lead to two. A batter later, Booth reached on an errant throw, allowing Moreno read the play and scored from second. Mandell received the win after throwing 5.2 innings with four strikeouts and allowing just one run.
 
WT returns to Schaeffer Park for a weekend series with St. Mary's starting on Friday, March 22. Friday's action will see the two teams play a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. with the final game of the series scheduled for 12 p.m. on Saturday.