CANYON, Texas – The #5 Buffaloes connected on leadoff home runs in three different innings on Sunday afternoon as West Texas A&M picked up a thrilling 6-5 Lone Star Conference victory over the #24 Angelo State Rams during the regular season finale at Foster Field in San Angelo, Texas.
 
The Rams started the scoring in the home half of the third inning on a Jacob Guerrero RBI double with two outs to plate Ryder McDaniel for the 1-0 lead. WT used the long ball to tie the game in the top of the fourth as Kory Schmidt crushed a solo shot over the scoreboard in right center to start the frame to make it 1-1.
 
WT added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning on an Elijah Batista solo homerun into the bullpen in left field, the Buffs weren't done yet as the sixth saw an error by the Rams keep the inning alive as Jovan Camacho doubled to the gap in right center to score Rodric Black followed by a wild pitch that scored Camacho for the 4-1 lead.
 
The Buffs used the long ball again in the top of the seventh inning as Kyle Micklus started the frame with a solo shot to right field for the 5-1 advantage. The Rams wouldn't go down without a fight as they cut into the lead in the home half of the eighth as Conagher Sands singled to right to score Guerrero, ASU would load the bases with two outs before a Reese Miller strikeout kept the score at 5-2.
 
WT added an insurance run in the top of the ninth as Glenn Noronha connected on his first collegiate homerun, a solo shot to right field with one out to make it 6-2. ASU made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth as Guerrero drove in Christian Garnett with an RBI single with one out followed later in the inning by a Sands two-run double before a flyout to center with the bases loaded and two outs gave the Buffs a 6-5 win.
 
Maddux Hoaglund picked up the win (3-1) for the Buffs, allowing one earned run on three hits with five walks and three strikeouts in his 6.2 innings of work. Miller picked up his seventh save of the season, allowing three earned runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts over the last 1.1 frames.
 
The Buffs turn their focus to postseason baseball beginning next weekend with the opening round of the 2024 Lone Star Conference Baseball Championships, WT is the second seed and will take on seventh seeded UAFS in a best-of-three series at Wilder Park. Friday's opening game is set for 6:00 p.m. followed by game two on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. with the if necessary game happening on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Canyon.
 
LSC Championship Opening Weekend Matchups (Best-of-Three Series)
(1) Lubbock Christian vs. (8) St. Edward's – Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
(2) West Texas A&M vs. (7) UAFS – Wilder Park – Canyon, Texas
(3) Angelo State vs. (6) Texas A&M International – Foster Field – San Angelo, Texas
(4) UT Permian Basin vs. (5) UT Tyler – Roden Field – Odessa, Texas