CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M's Dylan Fesperman had a career day at the plate on Friday afternoon as the senior set a new program and Lone Star Conference record while tying the NCAA Division II single-game record with 13 RBI as the #23 Buffaloes rolled past UT Permian Basin at Wilder Park in Canyon.
 
The Falcons got on the board in the top of the first inning as they took advantage of a Buffalo miscue with one out for the 1-0 lead. The Buffs responded in the bottom of the frame with five runs on six hits as Kyle Micklus lifted a two-run homerun to right center followed by a Kory Schmidt RBI double and a Fesperman triple off the right field wall for the 5-1 lead.
 
WT added to their lead in the second as Micklus singled up the middle to drive in a pair followed later in the frame by a Fesperman three-run homerun to center field for the 10-1 lead, Rodric Black would draw an RBI walk with the bases loaded and one out followed by a Jovan Camacho RBI single and a wild pitch before a Schmidt RBI walk and a Fesperman grand slam made it 18-1.
 
UTPB cut into the lead in the top of the third inning with a pair of runs to make it 18-3. The Buffs responded again in the bottom of the frame as Ryan Camacho single to right field to drive in a pair followed later in the frame by a Fesperman bases-clearing triple down the right field line for his 10^th, 11^th and 12^th RBI of the afternoon, setting a new WT and LSC single-game record.
 
The Falcons would cut into the lead again in the top of the fifth with three runs highlighted by a Taylor McDaniels two-run homerun to left field. Fesperman would make history in the bottom of the frame as the Phoenix product registered a ground-rule double to right center to plate Ken Hemmer, tying the NCAA DII single-game record with 13 RBI.
 
WT would add to their lead in the home half of the sixth on a Tristin Thomas RBI double that scored Jake Alwine for the 26-6 win.
 
Teddy Judkins picked up the win (1-0) for the Buffs, allowing no runs on no hits with one walk and three strikeouts in his 2.0 innings of relief during his first appearance in Maroon & White.
 
The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow for an LSC doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. at Wilder Park.
 
NCAA Division II Single-Game RBI Record Holders
13, Dylan Fesperman vs. UT Permian Basin (February 28, 2025)
13, Kevin Nichols (Alabama-Huntsville) vs. Kentucky Wesleyan (February 25, 1996)
13, Bob Ritchie (Nichols State) vs. Bryant (1965)
 
Previous WT Single-Game RBI Record Holder
10, Kyle Kaufman vs. UT Permian Basin (April 20, 2019)
 
Previous LSC Single-Game RBI Record Holder
11, Mike Huebner (Harding) vs. Ozarks (1999)