CANYON, Texas – On Saturday, the West Texas A&M softball team secured its fourth Lone Star Conference series of the season with a pair of wins over the Texas Woman's Pioneers. In game one, early runs held up for the Lady Buffs in a 5-3 victory. The second game saw WT use a big fourth inning to power an 8-0 run-rule victory. The Lady Buffs improved their record to 19-1 overall and 11-0 in LSC action with a 15-game winning streak.

 
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: West Texas A&M 5, Texas Woman's 3
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (9-0); Alyssa LeBlanc (5-3)
 
Texas Woman's came out the gates swinging as the leadoff hitter lined a single into left field on the second pitch of the game. After a walk, the Pioneers' designated player rolled a ball into the right-center gap. As the ball went to the fence, both runners came into score. Following the triple, Heidi Vortherms settled in to end the inning with a strikeout.
 
WT answered back in the bottom half of the inning as Lauren Granger connected on a single to right field and advanced to second after the ball went past the right fielder. A batter later, Brittni Rufus tapped a ball to third base, beating the throw to first and advancing Granger to third. After Emilee Boyer grounded the ball to short, Rufus ran into the fielder, interfering with the play. A Diana Murtha walk loaded the bases Madison Johnson powered a single into center field for the Lady Buffs' first run. With two outs, Braeland Booth replicated Johnson's success to plate two.
 
After keeping the Pioneers off the board in the second, a single and two walks with one out loaded the bases for Murtha. The senior didn't need to swing at a pitch as Murtha walked on four pitches to bring in a run. The Lady Buffs added another run a few batters later when pinch-hitter Gabriella Valforte singled to center, scoring Rufus.
 
Texas Woman's plated a run in the top of the third as a leadoff walk came around to score on an RBI single. After the run from the Pioneers, Vortherms settled in once again. The junior pitcher put up four-straight scoreless innings to close out the 5-3 victory.
 
THE BASICS
Game 2 Score: West Texas A&M 8, Texas Woman's 0 (5 Inn.)
Pitching: (W) Emilee Boyer (9-1); (L) Jaycie Hall (2-3)
 
The first three innings of game two proved to be a pitcher's duel as neither lineup produced a run during that time. Boyer continued to deal for the Lady Buffs as the sophomore put up a zero on the board for the fourth-consecutive inning. The WT lineup wouldn't be held quiet much longer as the Lady Buffs came to the plate in the home half of the fourth. Granger and Rufus connected for back-to-back home runs to start the inning, breaking the scoreless tie. A pair of walks and a single followed the solo home runs to load the bases where Valforte singled home a run once again. Still with no outs in the inning, Heaven Moreno singled up the middle to score two more runs and extend the lead to 6-0. Moreno came around to score when Granger collected her second hit of the inning. Despite entering the bottom of the fourth tied at zero, the Lady Buffs sent 12 players to the plate, collecting seven hits and seven runs along the way.
 
Texas Woman's looked to get its offense going in the fifth as a single moved to third on a double into the gap with one out. With runners on second and third, Boyer forced a lineout to first before ending the inning with a huge strikeout. Needing just one run to end the game, Murtha blasted a 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall to end the game 8-0 in 5 innings.