CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M softball team split its final regular season doubleheader with Angelo State on Saturday afternoon. With the 6-3 win in game one, the Lady Buffs guaranteed the Lone Star Conference tournament would be played at Schaeffer Park on May 2-4. The Lady Buffs (45-6, 37-5 LSC) share the regular season title with UT Tyler after the Patriots swept Lubbock Christian.
 
The shared regular season title is the Lady Buffs' fifth Lone Star Conference title and first since 2016. More information on the 2024 Lone Star Conference tournament will be coming soon with an official bracket and times being released by the conference office.  
 
THE BASICS
Game 1 Score: #1 West Texas A&M 6, #22 Angelo State 3
Pitching: (W) Heidi Vortherms (15-4); (L) Cheyenne Floyd (20-7)
 
The Rambelles threatened to score early as a leadoff walk moved to third on a double to left before a walk loaded the bases. With one out, Heidi Vortherms locked in to record back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side and end the threat.
 
After a scoreless top of the second, the Lady Buffs broke through on the score board as Madison Johnson started the inning with a walk. With pinch-runner Kiley Avery on first, Gabriella Valforte singled down the line, advancing Avery to third. With Avery on third and pinch-runner Halie Stoneking on first, the Lady Buffs did what they do best in the situation. Stoneking took off from first where a throw from the catcher allowed Avery to steal home. Looking to seize momentum in the game, a Justine Navarra walk and Megan Guericke single loaded the bases with no outs for Emily Liskai. The freshman sent a grounder up the middle where the Angelo State second baseman grabbed the ball and tagged the base. As Liskai reached first, Stoneking crossed home for a 2-0 lead.
 
The Lady Buffs added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth as Heaven Moreno singled to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt and ground out moved Moreno to third where Lauren Granger blasted a two-run home run out to right. Following the home run, Brittni Rufus ripped a triple into the right-center gap. With two outs, Emilee Boyer sent a ball down to third where the Rambelle defender couldn't handle it, allowing Rufus to score and Boyer to reach.
 
Angelo State broke up the shutout in the top of the fifth as a double set up a two-run home run off the bat of Tatiana Trotter.
 
The Lady Buffs added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Guerricke reached on a hit-by-pitch before advancing to second on a groundout to second. With two outs, a Rufus single to right allowed Guericke to race around the bases and score from second. The top of the seventh saw the Rambelles score a run on a solo shot to left center, cutting the lead to 6-3. Following the home run, Vortherms completed the game, striking out a hitter before a groundout closed out the win.
 
THE BASICS
Game 2 Score: #22 Angelo State 10, #1 West Texas A&M 7
Pitching: (W) Amelia Hatthorn (5-0); (L) Emilee Boyer (20-2)
 
After great defense by both teams in the opening inning to keep the game scoreless, Angelo State struck first in the top of the second off a solo home run from Lauren De La Cruz. The Rambelle lead didn't last long as the Lady Buffs took a 2-1 advantage in the bottom half of the inning. After Johnson walked with one out, Valforte, serving as a pinch hitter, blasted a 2-1 pitch over the batting cages in left field.
 
In the third, Angelo State retook the lead as three straight infield singles set up a bases-loaded walk to plate the tying run with no outs. The Rambelles took advantage of the situation as Erin Plunkett singled up the middle to score two. After a fly out to center, a grounder turned into two runs as the Angelo State runner beat the throw home to score a run before a second crossed the plate on a throwing error.
 
The Rambelles added to their lead an inning later as a single and an error put two on with two out for Trotter. Trotter drove in the runners as the outfielder doubled off the wall in center, extending the lead to 8-2. Errors continued to haunt WT in the inning as a fielding error with two outs allowed another run to come in.
 
The Lady Buffs wouldn't go away quietly as Murtha homered to left field in the fourth. After the home run, Johnson reached on a walk followed by a Valforte single to left. A sacrifice bunt from Moreno moved the pair into scoring position, but the Rambelles stranded them there.
 
WT chipped away at the lead in the fifth as Lauren Granger walked before advancing to second on a wild pitch. The extra base proved to be crucial as Rufus singled to the gap where Granger came in to score on the play.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Lady Buffs attempted to mount a comeback as back-to-back doubles from Granger and Rufus cut the lead down to 10-5. A Boyer walk set up a fielder's choice off the bat of Murtha. On the play, the Rambelles attempted to throw out Rufus at third, but the throw went wide, allowing Rufus to come home.  After a pitching change, Angelo State turned a 4-3 double play to quiet the home crowd and put the Lady Buffs down to their final out. With pinch runner Stoneking on third, Valforte lined a single into center to bring the lead down to three. The Rambelles finished off the game on a fielder's choice to steal a victory.